An enraged New York driver who allegedly chased a group of young protesters in his SUV, then rushing on foot with two long blades attached to his arm, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of menacing and other crimes, authorities said.
Frank Cavalluzzi, 54, of Queens, faces multiple counts of reckless endangerment, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, the New York Police Department said.
Video footage of the June 2 incident showed the man speeding toward a small group of protesters on an expressway overpass in Queens. He can be seen leaping from his SUV with a device affixed to his arm that has machete-like blades extending from it.
He can be seen repeatedly accusing the group of throwing something at his car while rushing toward them.
A second video shows Cavalluzzi allegedly drive onto the overpass' sidewalk and speed after them. The protesters can be heard screaming and sprinting away from the vehicle.
The group told NBC New York that they didn’t throw anything at the SUV. One of them, Briana Hernandez, told the station that the group has been on the overpass daily to raise awareness after the death of the of George Floyd in Minneapolis last week.
“I didn’t do anything wrong,” she said. “I was two inches away from getting hit by that car.”
It wasn't immediately clear if Cavalluzzi has a lawyer.