Local victims of Nathaniel Radimak, the Tesla driver convicted of assaulting women in a series of road rage cases, are calling his early prison release a “failure” after he allegedly attacked another driver – this time in Hawaii.
Radimak, 38, was arraigned Thursday in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he pleaded not guilty.
According to police, on May 8, an 18-year-old woman was parking her car with her 35-year-old mother in the passenger seat when a gray Tesla sped past them. Words were exchanged, and the man allegedly assaulted both women before fleeing in the Tesla.
Radimak, who was arrested the following day, faces charges of misdemeanor assault and unauthorized entry into a motor vehicle. Bail was set at $100,000.
“When justice is not done, the public is endangered,” said prominent victims’ rights attorney Gloria Allred at news conference in Los Angeles on Friday that included several of Radimak’s previous victims. “He goes to Hawaii, and then all of this happens … yes, absolutely, failure of the system.”
In 2023, Radimak was sentenced to five years in prison for attacking SoCal motorists with a metal pole in multiple incidents, two of which were captured on video. He was released 212 days early for good behavior, a decision Allred and her clients criticized at the time.
“I believe [the Hawaii] incidents were a foreseeable consequence of a system that repeatedly failed to address his pattern of violence and his pattern of behavior,” said Vivian Romero, one of Radimak’s prior victims.
Allred claims former District Attorney George Gascon did not consult with her or the victims before the plea agreement, and they were not given the opportunity to speak at Radimak’s sentencing, allegedly violating Marsy’s Law.
Marsy’s Law, named after UC Santa Barbara student Marsy Nicholas, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 1983, was approved by California voters in 2008. It ensures victims and their families are involved in each step of the criminal justice process.
“It is sickening that Nathaniel Radimak, after being released from prison early, has appeared to violate his parole,” said Beth Lamprecht, another victim. “There was every reason to doubt any chance of reform for this repeat offender. His return to violence underscores that he has not been willing to control his actions.”
Radimak’s Hawaii case took an unusual twist when he was beaten by fellow inmates on May 12 while awaiting arraignment on the new charges. He suffered injuries to his face and torso and required hospitalization.
“I personally, as a lawyer, cannot say that vigilante justice should be inflicted, even if the actual justice system has failed the victims,” Allred remarked. “Now, people may feel differently, but that’s my statement as a lawyer.”
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