North Charleston Police arrested 33-year-old Lucas Ezequiel Prestera on Sunday evening after a road-rage incident escalated into assault and hate-based intimidation around 5:40 p.m. on Gullah Avenue.​
Incident Sequence
The altercation began on Spruill Avenue near McMillan Avenue, where Prestera allegedly drove aggressively, followed victims while waving a handgun out his window, then blocked them on Gullah Avenue. He exited his vehicle, punched a female passenger multiple times, grabbed her clothing, and shouted racial slurs as victims used pepper spray in self-defense.​
Victim Response
Both victims exited their car amid the assault; the second victim tried to intervene but faced Prestera’s partner swinging a bottle. Officers noted injuries like fresh head bumps, a nearly torn-off hoodie, broken passenger mirror, pepper spray residue, and damaged eyeglasses run over during escape.​
Arrest and Charges
A probable-cause search recovered a handgun from Prestera’s vehicle; he continued racial slurs in custody. Charges include pointing and presenting a firearm, third-degree assault and battery, and hate/bias-based intimidation; he was booked at Al Cannon Detention Center.
