Victims speak out against the release of Tesla driver convicted of multiple road rage attacks

A man who has been serving jail time for multiple violent Southern California road rage attacks while driving a Tesla and wielding a metal pipe is set to be released ahead of his five-year sentence on Wednesday.

Nathaniel Radimak, now 37,  was arrested in 2023 for attacking eight people between 2022 and 2023. He ultimately pleaded no contest as part of a plea agreement.

A judge delivered his sentence on Oct. 4, 2023, and was scheduled to be released on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2024.  

Radimak received credit for 424 days served for the nearly 250 days he spent in county jail during the trial. He was also awarded 212 days for good behavior, according to attorney Gloria Allred.

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."

Allred held a Zoom news conference Wednesday, during which three women voiced their shock and disappointment at his early release.

"It makes me angry and disappointed to see this person, who has caused suffering and trauma, walk free while his victims are still left to deal with the aftermath of his actions. We are still fighting for compensation for our damages, but there are constant delays in that process," Jane Doe 2 said. 

Allred continued to say that a troubling aspect of Radimak's release records from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is that his release area is listed as "unknown." 

Radimak was arrested on Jan. 29, 2023, in connection with a Jan.11 road rage incident on Highway 2 in Glendale.  

The ordeal was captured on camera, showing the Tesla driver stopping his car in traffic, then getting out with a pipe and striking the other car with the pipe. Other victims had similar stories of a man in a Tesla randomly attacking their vehicles with a pipe to officers. Users on social media dubbed Radimak the "Tesla road rage guy" after videos of the incidents spread through different platforms.

After the January incident, California Highway Patrol officers connected Radimak to seven more attacks. Prosecutors charged him with four counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury and criminal threats, plus one felony count of vandalism, two misdemeanor counts of vandalism and one misdemeanor count of elder abuse. 

At the time the charges were filed against Radimak, District Attorney George Gascón said the "reign of terror ends today ... motorists in Los Angeles shouldn't have to live in fear of being attacked while simply driving on the freeway." 

"Our thoughts are with the survivors who endured the terrifying attacks by Mr. Radimak and are continuing to heal from his senseless actions. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office does not determine when an inmate will be released from custody,"  prosecutors said in a statement.

During the trial, Radimak had a pending case where he was accused of allegedly attacking another driver in a road rage incident that occurred in Hollywood in January 2020. When officers searched his car, Radimak allegedly had steroids and more than $30,000. He was charged with one felony count of possession of a sale of a controlled substance and one misdemeanor count of battery.  

"As a result, many of the victims are terrified that Mr. Radimak will retaliate against them," Allred said of his release.  

The women represented by Allred, who spoke at Wednesday's Zoom news conference, said they weren't sure if the 10 months served was enough time for Radimak's rehabilitation. 

"Nathaniel Radimak repeatedly made deliberate, intentional choices to attack victims citywide on multiple occasions. Almost all the victims were women, and some were senior citizens. This was not one isolated incident, which begs the question, is there hope to rehabilitate repeat offenders," Jane Doe 1 said.