A Florida driver was arrested after video showed him slashing a knife at a motorcyclist who was armed with a handgun during a road rage incident, authorities said.
The Flagler County Sheriff's Office posted to social media cellphone video of the Tuesday afternoon encounter that led to the arrest of 50-year-old Rafael Vincent Rivera on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
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Rivera was behind the wheel of a Toyota Tacoma when he was cut off by the motorcyclist, officials said.
When their vehicles stopped, Rivera and the motorcyclist confronted each other, with Rivera armed with a knife and the motorcyclist with metallic knuckles, officials said.
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The motorcyclist's wife shot the video of the incident, which showed Rivera slashing at the motorcyclist with the knife, officials said.
That's when the motorcyclist can be seen pulled the handgun out and pointing it at Rivera.
"In fear for his life, the victim, who has a permit to carry a concealed weapon, pulled out his firearm. The victim then told Rivera to back away, which he did," the sheriff's office said.
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Deputies responded and detained both men, but after they reviewed the video, Rivera was arrested.
"Traffic disagreements should never result in violence in our streets. In this particular incident, the video captured by the victim’s wife clearly shows that her husband’s life was threatened. I applaud the way the motorcyclist handled this situation," Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. "After his life was clearly threatened, he lawfully defended himself and then de-escalated the situation. The offender is lucky he was not shot."
