Driver Arrested for Throwing Firework at Workers in NYC
- A driver in New York City was arrested after throwing a lit firework into a Verizon utility truck, injuring two workers.
- The incident appears to have been motivated by road rage.
- Authorities are addressing the dangers of such aggressive behavior on the roads.
A 36-year-old Brooklyn man, Kevindale Nurse, has been arrested and charged with arson after allegedly throwing a lit firework into a Verizon utility truck, injuring two workers in what authorities describe as an act of road rage. The incident occurred on January 31 around 7:30 p.m., when surveillance footage captured Nurse driving erratically in a commuter "dollar van." He reportedly stopped next to the Verizon vehicle, hurled the explosive through the driver’s side window, and fled the scene with his 4-year-old son. The two Verizon employees sustained serious injuries, including tinnitus, hearing loss, and neck and back pain, while their vehicle suffered extensive damage, including a shattered windshield and deployed airbags. Following the incident, Nurse was arrested on Thursday morning after a federal indictment was unsealed, and he is set to appear in Brooklyn federal court later that day. U.S. Attorney Breon Peace condemned the attack as a "dangerous and senseless" act that could have resulted in more severe consequences, given the utility van's equipment for high-speed fiber optic repairs. Prosecutors have requested that Nurse be detained, citing his prior felony convictions, which include attempted reckless endangerment. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of 40 years in prison. Dollar vans, often unlicensed, serve as an alternative transit option in New York City, competing with taxis and limousines to fill transportation gaps.