Police: Truck Driver Arrested in 'Racial Road Rage'
OCEANSIDE, N.Y. (1010 WINS) -- A cement truck driver on Long Island faces bias-classified charges for tailgating, shouting racial slurs and threatening to beat a black driver with a pipe.
Police say the white male suspect was arrested on charges of reckless endangerment, menacing and harassment. All the charges are classified as bias crimes.
Police say 44-year-old Louis Erali of Hauppauge was driving on Long Beach Road in Oceanside on Wednesday when he began blowing his horn and shouting racial slurs at a black driver who had passed him. He then allegedly tailgated the black driver and forced his vehicle to the side of the road on Sunrise Highway, where he threatened to strike him with a pipe.
The black driver pulled out his cell phone and the suspect drove off, but police said the victim was able to provide officers with the information that lead to an arrest.
Erali is charged with Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree (Bias), Menacing 2nd Degree (Bias), Harassment 1st Degree (Bias) and Menacing 3rd Degree (Bias). He was released on an appearance ticket to appear in First District Court in Hempstead at a later date.
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