Tuesday afternoon, Rafael Vincent Rivera, 50, and G.P., also 50, were involved in a road rage incident on Pine Lakes Parkway in Palm Coast that escalated, with a knife getting pulled, then swung, then a gun getting drawn, and Rivera getting arrested and facing a felony aggravated assault charge.
Rivera was at the wheel of a Toyota Tacoma pick-up truck. G.P. was riding a motorcycle with his 44-year-old wife L.P. The motorcyclist reported to authorities that Rivera allegedly cut him off, then threw something at his motorcycle as they drove in the W Section. G.P. followed Rivera’s truck to the intersection of Pine Lakes Parkway and Whirlaway Drive, where Rivera “exited his vehicle with a fixed blade drawn in his hand,” according to his arrest report.
G.P. equipped himself with brass knuckles, concerned that there might be a physical altercation, and his wife started recording the confrontation with her phone. The two minute and 46 second video the Sheriff’s Office released starts at a point where the two men are fully engaged in the confrontation and a phone has just dropped to the ground.
Rivera is holding a knife in his right hand, three of four feet away from G.P., G.P. is daring him: “do it!”
G.P.’s wife tells Rivera he has a knife while her husband has nothing, casing Rivera to point to the brass knuckles and call them “illegal,” though G.P. tells him he has a permit (brass knuckles are considered a weapon and under Florida law require a concealed carry permit). “What the fuck is that, that’s legal?” she yells, pointing at Rivera’s knife. Rivera is clutching it in his fist.
‘You’re a pussy for pulling that out,” G.P. tells him. “You’re a fucking asshole,” Rivera replies. “I’m telling you, don’t fucking do it, don;t be fucking stupid,” and so on as L.P. adds comments of her own (“I’ll take your fucking truck…”).
The two men continue to exchange words, inching closer top each other, then Rivera is seen swinging his knife sharply at G.P. At that point G.P. draws his Glock, points it at Rivera and tells him to put down the knife immediately, in the same seasoned language both men have been using. “Witnesses!” Rivera yells out, waving his arm around. (The 911 dispatch center was to receive six calls related to the incident.) “You just tried to fucking stab, I got it on fucking film,” L.P. yells back as he walks away by several steps, only to start walking back and continue to argue. Rivera says he’s calling the cops. “You just swiped at him, that’s assault,” she tells him. “That’s attempted assault with a deadly weapon.”
Rivera dials 911 and tells the dispatcher “I just had a guy pull a gun on me,” while L.P. yells out loud enough for the dispatcher to hear that he’d swung a knife. The video ends just as Rivera is insulting the woman.
Rivera later told deputies that the motorcyclist had been driving “erratically” and that G.P. had shown him the finger. He denied approaching G.P. aggressively, and “did not recall this occurring,” according to his arrest report.
“Traffic disagreements should never result in violence in our streets,” Sheriff Rick Staly said in a statement. “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. After his life was clearly threatened, he lawfully defended himself and then de-escalated the situation. 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.”
Rafael was arrested in 2015 on on charges of grand theft and criminal mischief, charges that were transferred to county court, where he pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors. He was jailed again briefly for violating his probation, but had not been back at the jail until Tuesday. Late this morning he posted bail on $5,000 bond and was released. Last August G.P. was himself arrested on a domestic battery charge after authorities saw him on a Ring video grab his alleged victim by the hair and tell her “I’m going to beat the piss out of you.” The charge was soon dropped.
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Denali says
I don’t know who is worse, these three supposed adults acting like kids in a sand box or our illustrious sheriff for condoning the actions of the motorcyclist. Adults brandishing knives, guns and brass knuckles all over some minor traffic crap. Please. If you cannot take the stress of driving in the Palm Coast version of demolition derby, stay home.
As for our poor excuse of a sheriff saying that “I applaud the way the motorcyclist handled this situation.” Get serious, if this GP or whatever his name is had not followed the other guy none of this would have happened. His little feeling were hurt so he had to play macho and show the other driver how tough he is. Grow up. This attitude of defending yourself after you instigate the situation is totally out of hand and our so called sheriff makes it worse whenever he opens his mouth.
Was the biker driving erratically as stated, did he flip off the other driver, did the Toyota cut off the bike, did he throw something at the bike, we will never know. All we are left with is the aftermath of of stupid childish behavior by both parties. Grow up people, take a breath. There is no excuse for any of this to have happened.
Been There says
Agreed. The motorcyclist was definitely the instigator BUT if someone starts following you, you have choices. Next time, drive to the FSCO substation or call 911 and let them know where you are.
Jimbo99 says
Just got cut off by a motorcyclist & passenger on Belle Terre myself southbound after Royal Palms Parkway. I honked the horn at him just to let him know I didn’t appreciate what he did and he (with old hag as a passenger) sped off switching lanes to cut another motorist off. At FL-100, 3 lights later he was in front of me and that’s where I noted I got his tag number “MF**71” (FL plate, as for the **, I can tell you what those letters were too for the complete tag sequence id). Strange that he has a sticker on the hard compartment saddle bag left side of the bike that says “Don’t Kill A Biker” driving & riding around like that. He really left me no space for a panic stop if the car I had left safe distance for had to stop for an emergency. I really wouldn’t have had a sense of humor had there been an accident that the motorcyclist caused. At the end of his ride for a destination, he turned off FL-100 just past the airport traffic light & into the Planet Fitness strip mall across the street from the Wawa. He cut off several vehicles to get caught at the same stop light(s) the rest of us did. For anyone thinking they’re beating someone, traffic & traffic control devices at the intersections end up defeating the speeding and lane changing for aggressive driving. Would’ve been too easy to call/text FCSO or FHP and report that guy. I may make the time if this continues. I have to drive by the rules, so will they.
David S. says
What a bunch of idiots. Both belong in jail period.
I Pity The Fool says
Are we still making America great again?
Shark says
Story should read – Two Scumbags have an Altercation !!!!!
Richard Smith says
More and more people moving here, this is happen more often. Sooner or latter someone going get hurt or killed. People just can’t let things go. This is way I got a dashcam. At least I have proof of what going around me while I’m driving…
Shelly says
We need to have stricter knife laws.
Me says
So, what did this accomplish? Absolutely nothing but an arrest record. What has this world come to that people don’t have patients and not act like idiots?
Jimbo99 says
Whenever I encounter an aggressive driver, I usually back off and let them move on, even if I have to pull over for a few minutes to give them a good headstart to get where they’re going. Clearly, they don’t realize what they did was my interpretation of a wrong, but following & arguing with another motorist is usually futile exercise. Others on the road were in jeopardy when the altercation was more critical on the sidestreet. Get his plate number, description of the vehicle. Pull over & report it to FCSO. I certainly wouldn’t follow someone that is clearly challenged mentally or having a bad day. And to involve not only myself but a passenger in the vehicle. I’m not saying the cutoff was something you dismiss totally, just handle it smarter, FCSO will have the discussion with them at the very least, consider yourself fortunate that it didn’t involve a collision.
True story, relocated to Miami, FL years ago and was returning from work, 2 motorists had a similar altercation between themselves, one drew a gun, the others waving their hammers & other construction tools, both yelling profanities at each other in Creole & Spanish. And this as I’m pulling up to the same stop light and blocked from leaving or having any protection. I’d have no sense of humor about being included in something that it wasn’t necessary for me to be involved in. To be shot by a stray bullet or ricochet off hard surfaces ?
That’s pretty much what went on here, what the 3 of them did to every car that was just trying to go somewhere on the same road. I’d have even less of a sense of humor as the home owner that was included with the damages a firearm would do to my dwelling, automobile or anyone on my property as a resident or guest. So was it handled properly, not really. while the bald guy was road enraged, the other 2 were road enraged too. Everyone has a right to use the roads in Flagler county, I don’t get in the car to go anywhere without a mindset that sharing the roads according to FL Statutes applies. And just because someone cut you off or pulled out in front of you, that happens. Don’t take it personal because the motorist that did that obviously doesn’t care. Give them more space and let them do it to someone else. The day FCSO deputizes me, it’s not my job to set anyone straight on that. Report it & let FCSO handle their malfunction. At the very least they’ll detain and straighten them out. It was good there was the wife on the back of the motorcycle for the aspect of witnessing the aggressive driving. As the old saying goes, “you can be right, or you can be dead right.” The latter aspect of that is pointless really.
Roy Longo says
If you call the sheriff’s department to say someone cut you off or gave you the finger or even threw something at you, your call would be the lowest of low priority there is. I seriously doubt any deputy is going to pull someone over for a minor incident they don’t witness themselves. Deputies today are far too busy.
The dude says
Yeah, those shaded parking spaces where they hang out off Palm Coast Parkway ain’t gonna fill themselves you know… pretty much all they gotta do is sit around and wait for the county’s geofenced surveillance system to alert them to an expired tag or dispatch calls in another drive by shooting.
Land of no turn signals says says
Shoot first ask questions later.
ULTRA MAGA says
Two SHIT4BRAINS making Palm Coast an UNSAFE place to live! Both of these ASSHOLES need to MOVE out of Palm Coast and live in New York City!
Kathy says
Why mention New York ? How about a different state to mention ! Maybe they belong exactly where they are Palm Coast !!!
ASF says
Yeah, every normal civilized person walks around with brass knuckles.
Wow says
Can’t wait til every idiot in Florida has a gun. Almost there! I feel SO much safer.
No Political Affiliation says
This is why you don’t act like a belligerent moron in the street, and why you should never be the first to pull a weapon unless your life really depends on it. There are a huge number of guns in florida, legal or otherwise. This moron swung his knife at neck level vs a concealed weapons permit holder, he’s genuinely lucky the gun owner gave him a chance to de-escalate the situation. In a stand your ground state, no less. Good on the gun owner for remaining calm and not using stand your ground as an excuse to blast someone too.
Now knife dude maybe gets a felony and goes to prison, especially with some priors. Congratulations, you played yourself.
Pelle469 says
Here is my question if they got into a altercation on the road and they both pulled over to have a confrontation where does “stand your ground” come in? The whole situation was stupid and could have been avoided. Alpha males have no better way to solve their issues.
The Geode says
Maybe if the “gun owner” hadn’t followed him, there would be no need for the gun in the first place. Stop making excuses for dumbass people…
Christopher Lemke says
NPA, your response is very appropriate. Agree 100%. I believe that the Castle Doctrine also applies to motor vehicles. L.P. only pulled out the gun when the perp continued his aggression. Did Obama say “never bring a knife to a gunfight”?
protonbeam says
I could not help myself to comment – 3 kids, all stupid thorough and through. Terrible knife swing, worse draw of the pistol. But then he lets the guy swinging the knife go retrieve something from his truck (could have been a gun, luckily wasn’t) then she wanders in close to get more video……attorneys will have a field day here. All these idiots should have to reimburse the taxpayers for costs incurred by FCSO.
PCIsTrash says
Such trashy people. This town has fallen way down the drain.
jnlocal says
Let’s have more affordable housing.
YankeeExPat says
The video should be posted to every Real Estate site especially ZILLO. This way, hopefully some dumb bastard thinking Palm Coast (Flagler County ) is a good choice to look for a prospective home search will not be sold on the other ” Big Lie” that this is a viable community.
To use a well played adjective description from our former despot Trumpelstitskin
” The Place is a Shithole!”
Mark says
Yep, I’m starting to think that sadly.
CommonCents says
My bet is that GP & LP are going to sue the knife-wielder claiming damages such as stress, hardship, emotional… and actually try to get ol’ boy’s truck. LP said it herself. Motive for this pantomime ‘self-dedense’ of an ‘assault’.
fredrick says
Congrats Flagler Live!! Mentioned nationally and worldwide!!
“Rivera later told deputies, according to Flagler Live..com, that the motorcyclist had been driving ‘erratically’ and that G.P. had shown him the finger.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10832043/Shocking-moment-road-rage-thug-50-pulls-knife-knuckleduster-wearing-biker.html
FlaglerLive says
Thank you, we were not aware, because as usual with the Daily Mail, which has cited us repeatedly, they did not provide a backlink, as journalistic courtesy requires for more reputable outlets. (They could take lessons from AskFlagler for starters.)
FlaglerBear says
Congratulations! Flagler County made National news with this crazy story of two guys having an armed pissing match on our streets but walking away and living to tell about it later. Not so when several black kids were gunned down on our same streets. It’s just local news. I guess we’ve become numb to what truly matters anymore.
vincent t lyon says
Just an FYI:
Brass knuckles and a fixed blade knife are both weapons. In Florida you need a conceal carry permit to hide either one about your person. But Florida allows open carry and both men had weapons out in the open so there should not be any weapons violation charges.
But note of advice: if someone has a conceal carry permit to justify the brass knuckles in his pocket, he’s probably also got a gun somewhere.
Two for the Road says
I carry TWO guns, Two knives, Two cans of Mace. Been carrying them since 2020 when the New York and New Jersey trash decided to move down here. Back in the 80’s Palm Coast was a nice place to live. Now its a Sh*thole !
Whathehck? says
Great vocabulary with well formed sentences spoken by three of the most intelligent beings in our area.
Saying “Do it” is one of the greatest way to de-escalate a conflict. I feel safe.
The Geode says
If anything, BOTH of those dumbasses should have gone to jail. Moreso the idiot bike rider who followed the truck looking for a fight. If someone followed me in a threatening manner, first I would have laughed at him as I drove away, if he escalated, I would have had that tool in my lap. If threatened with a knife, brass knuckles, or a gun – I wouldn’t hesitate to “Stand my Ground”. Sure, he had a gun too …but mine would have already been targeted
I don’t look for trouble but you don’t want this trouble. It will end badly for everybody
Richard Henderson says
Ah, class.
Jackson1955 says
No lie, I saw the guy with the knife on TV at a Trump rally. No lie.
Karl Hungus says
The knife wieding Amigo is lucky he wasn’t put down.
Bad situation all around, the Amigo could have simply said “sorry” I messed up and cut you off.
Anchored says
No, this is not what happens when “out-of-towners” move here. This is what happens when a community is unknowingly cognitively impaired by leaded aviation fuel while living underneath the largest flight school operations in the world. IF (a big if) the EPA finally fixes the issue, every single flight school in this area that has contributed to the daily polluting of our air should have a responsibility to pay these three knuckleheads reparations along with the rest of us. Google is your friend. https://earthjustice.org/news/press/2022/epa-commits-to-regulating-lead-in-aviation-gasoline
The dude says
I find it simply adorable all you old buzzards on here whining about New York and New Jersey “trash”.
It doesn’t get much trashier than a good old Central Florida man, and there seems to be a lot of those around here. The Mondex is full of em.
Driving around throwing empty Busch cans and fast food wrappers out the window? Florida man.
Drive by shootings in Bunnell? Florida man.
Rip off old folks on home repairs? Florida man.
Blazing Saddles says
What planet are you from? Palm Coast was developed by people from up north. Now if your an old Flagler county beach boy or country bumpkin from out west who used to laugh at us northerners for buying lots where your grand daddy used to hunt try again. If it wasn’t for us New Yorkers, PC would still be like Bunnell, frozen in time! Handle your meth problem out in the Mondex and we’ll handle the trouble makers here.
The Geode says
As a lifelong “Bunnellian”, I am glad it’s “frozen in time”. I love our ONE grocery store where everybody knows everybody. I love our 2 or 3 restaurants where everybody knows everybody. I love our small communities where everybody knows everybody. If it wasn’t but for a few idiots and the extremely slow “investigative acumen” of our police and sheriff departments, this place would be thoroughly enjoyable
Keep your congestion, bad drivers, snotty-ass people, and complainers that Palm Coast isn’t the utopia you thought it was. You fled here to save money on your taxes, flee the crime wherever the hell you came from, escape the cold, and use the money you saved that wouldn’t have lasted you for five years to come here and die in a house you could actually afford. Realize that it’s people like YOU are the reason it is a shit-box in the first place…
Cynthia says
So TRUE !!!!!
Blazing Saddles says
“So TRUE !!!!!”??? Really, So I guess Bunnell looking like the Dukes Of Hazzard is all a ploy to keep us northerners out? Yeah, sure OKAY!
Blazing Saddles says
Really, so who is Louis Gaskin aka The Ninja? https://murderpedia.org/male.G/g/gaskin-louis-bernard.htm
I said it once and I’ll say it again YOU wouldn’t set foot in Palm Coast unless you and the rest of the bumpkins here were going to our little ole Walmart we had. So you don’t even count when it comes to PC. In 89 you “Bunellions” couldn’t even come out of the gas station on US1 and 100 in your own neighborhood for a breath of fresh air without the Po Po sending you back into the projects. They had you so confused in there yal were still wearing Jerri curls, dripping activator all over the place. Tell it to somebody else. Don’t get me started. Staley’s comments about all the interrelationships in your community was an understatement. Shooting and fighting your relatives among other things. Have the problems we have here now is because your Kinfolk decided to expand outside your so-called projects.