Rafael Rivera road rage episode nearly turns lethal after truck driver pulls out knife against Florida motorcyclist in volatile encounter video shows.
Video captured the moment a truck driver and motorcyclist faced off in the street amid a volatile road-rage confrontation in Florida on Tuesday, as one man pulled out a knife and brandished it in the face of the other, only to be upended when a concealed gun was then taken out.
The encounter unfolded after Rafael Vincent Rivera, 50, who was driving a gray Toyota Tacoma, allegedly cut in front of a motorcyclist at the intersection of Pine Lakes Parkway and Whirlaway Drive just after 1 p.m., according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
When the two came to a stop, Rivera got out of the truck with a knife in his hands and approached the motorcyclist, according to footage released by the sheriff’s office.
The motorcyclist, expecting a confrontation, slipped on a pair of brass knuckles, cops said.
The clip, recorded by the biker’s female passenger, shows the two exchange expletives in the middle of the road.
‘I swear to God, put that f—ing thing down right now, motherf—r,’
‘Get on your bike and go,’ Rivera can be heard saying to the motorcyclist.
Deputies said the video showed Rivera slashing at the victim, who had a concealed weapons license and pulling out his gun from his vest pocket in response, ‘after fearing for his life,’ cops said.
‘I swear to God, put that f—ing thing down right now, motherf—r,’ the biker yells at Rivera, who begins retreating.
Rivera can then be heard calling the police and telling them, ‘I just had a guy pull a gun on me’.
Moments later, Flagler County deputies responded and detained both men as they investigated the incident, cops said.
After reviewing the footage taken by the passenger and interviewing witnesses, Rivera was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. He was taken to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, where he is being held without bond.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said he “applauded” the way the motorcyclist handled the situation.
‘After his life was clearly threatened, he lawfully defended himself and then de-escalated the situation,’ Staly said in a statement. ‘The offender is lucky he was not shot. I also remind the community to not take traffic enforcement in your own hands and control your anger. Call the Sheriff’s Office instead.’
