Survivor: Fiji contestant Michelle Yi is recovering after being attacked in her Los Angeles neighborhood.
Santa Monica Police tell E! News they received a call on Thursday, Oct. 14 just before 6 a.m. of a woman using poles to hit residents' cars. When authorities arrived on the scene, they spotted the suspect actively striking a man with a metal object.
As for Michelle, police said she was struck in the head with the pole and poked at with a rusted, reciprocated saw blade in the arm. Police say the 37-year-old Pilates instructor drove herself to the local hospital for additional care after the attack.
On Oct. 19, police confirmed to E! News that the suspect remains in custody and has been charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities believe there are three total victims from the early morning attack.
In an interview with People, Michelle recalled an unknown woman approaching the Pilates studio where she taught classes.
"She was yelling all sorts of things like, 'You stole my identity' and, 'You're a prostitute,'" Michelle told the publication. "Santa Monica has a homeless problem, and I've dealt with this type of thing before so I told her, 'Ma'am, you can't be here. You need to leave.'"
According to Michelle, the woman did not follow her requests and proceeded to lunge at her.
"She stabbed me in the left bicep," Michelle alleged. "And then she hit me on the right hand with the baton. My Apple Watch shattered."
"It was really awful," she added. "It was dark when this happened...Physically, I'm on the mend. Emotionally, it's harder, but I should be ok."
Fans first met Michelle on Survivor: Fiji in 2006. She quickly became a fan favorite before being voted out and making the jury. Fellow contestant Earl Cole would ultimately be named the sole survivor of the season.