Tesla road-rage driver arrested again in Hawaii, less than a year after prison release in SoCal

HONOLULU (KABC) -- A man released from prison after serving less than a year of his five-year sentence for a series of road-rage attacks in Southern California has been arrested again for a similar offense in Honolulu, Hawaii.

According to the Honolulu Police Department, a driver in a gray Tesla sped past an 18-year-old driver who was parking her vehicle on Wednesday. The 18-year-old and the Tesla driver exchanged words, and the Tesla driver allegedly got out of his vehicle and assaulted both the young woman and her mother. Police said he then fled in the gray Tesla.

The Tesla driver was arrested on Thursday, and, according to Honolulu PD's booking records, was identified as 39-year-old Nathaniel Radimak -- the same suspect from the Southern California attacks.

Honolulu police said he was arrested on charges of unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle, assault, and contempt.

Eyewitness News spoke to the teen driver's uncle from Hawaii.

"I would hope, you know, that HPD does prosecute him and do a better job than California of keeping him behind bars so that hopefully, he can at least learn a lesson, maybe get some sort of help," said Stanley Aragon. "It seems he has anger issues, he's lashing out. Who knows what he might be capable of next? It's only escalating."

Aragon said there was also an infant in the victim's car during the attack, but the infant was not hurt.

SoCal road rage attacker's California cases

Radimak was released from prison last August after serving less than a year of his five-year sentence for a series of road-rage attacks in Southern California that traumatized his victims.

He became known for driving a Tesla and using a metal pipe to bash his victims' cars. Several of the attacks were captured on video.

Radimak attacked nearly a dozen drivers, mostly women, throughout Los Angeles County between 2022 and 2023.

In September 2023, he was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to assault, vandalism, elder abuse, and criminal threats. Despite serving less than a year of a five-year sentence, Radimak was eligible for parole.

Radimak was granted 424 days for time served while awaiting sentencing, and he was eligible for "credit-earning opportunities" while incarcerated, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said in a statement.

"Radimak was released to parole supervision in Los Angeles County on Aug. 28, 2024, after serving his full sentence as defined by law," the CDCR said.

Legal expert Lou Shapiro explained that Radimak's release was due to overcrowding in California's prisons.

"If someone commits a violent crime -- like robbery, murder, rape -- something of that nature, they will be kept longer into their sentence, 60-80% marker," Shapiro said.

"Anything short of that -- criminal threats, vandalism -- such as this case that we're talking about, it could be only 30-50%, which would explain why he got out so much sooner than everyone anticipated."

Victims of SoCal road rage attacker spoke out after early release

Back in August, the man's California victims were outraged over his early release and, ironically, said they worried he might strike again.

"I'm unable to believe such a short sentence would result in any sort of behavioral reform or rehabilitation, considering the length of time he's been committing crimes," one victim said during a Zoom news conference alongside their attorney, Gloria Allred.

Another victim said: "I am worried he will try to find the victims whose names have been released. He is a menace to society, and I strongly disagree about his early release."

"His early release has shocked and disappointed many of the victims whom I represent," Allred said.

Some of the victims said the justice system failed them by not allowing their voices to be heard in court before a plea deal was made.

In August 2024, the L.A. County District Attorney's office released a statement that said, in part:

"The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office does not determine when an inmate will be released from custody. This, as well as the notification of victims, is the responsibility of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation."