Driver Yells Racial Slur, Spits On Car In Road Rage Incident

JOHNS CREEK, GA — A Duluth man was cited for disorderly conduct after he shouted racial slurs and spat on the vehicle of a black driver earlier this month in Johns Creek.

The incident was reported around 10:15 a.m. Friday, April 6 along Medlock Bridge Road near Abbotts Bridge Road. According to an incident report released by Johns Creek police, one driver said he was traveling on Medlock Bridge Road next to a car driven by Eric Dekeyser, who was "driving erratically."

The victim, a 37-year-old black man, said he and Dekeyser got into a verbal altercation when Dekeyser "motioned for him to roll down his window and called him a n-----," the report states. While the two were arguing, the victim, identified as Terrence Stover, said Dekeyser threw a something at his vehicle and he responded by throwing a drink on the other man's car, the report alleges.

Stover said he drove away from the scene, but Dekeyser continued to "aggressively" pursue him, the report notes. Stover told police he pulled into the parking lot at 10900 Medlock Bridge Road to get away from Dekeyser and to call police. According to the report, Dekeyser followed Stover into the parking lot, got out of his vehicle and approached him.

"Terrence Stover stated that Eric Dekeyser began yelling and cussing at him, calling him a f------ n-----, and spit on Terrence Stover's vehicle, leaving a large amount of saliva on the passenger side of the vehicle," the report states.

Stover also provided police with a recording of Dekeyser, and the officer noted the Duluth resident could be seen on the video yelling, cursing and hurling racial slurs at Stover "in front of several uninvolved people in the parking lot, to include children."

The Johns Creek officer spoke to Dekeyser, who said Stover threw a drink at his vehicle "without knowing why." He also said he followed Stover to obtain his vehicle's tag number to provide to police. Dekeyser said he may have "accidentally" spat on Stover's vehicle while talking. He also admitted to yelling and calling Stover racial slurs "because he was mad," the report goes on to state. Police charged Dekeyser, 49, with disorderly conduct and he was taken to the Alpharetta City Jail for processing.

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Stover, a social studies teacher and football coach at South Gwinnett High School, shared his experience — complete with a video of Dekeyser hurling racist insults and profanities at him — on Facebook last week. Stover said the incident began with Dekeyser's aggressive driving and tailgating him on Medlock Bridge Road.

Dekeyser passed Stover, who said the driver also "flipped him off." He also said Dekeyser threw something at his car and screamed obscenities at him. Stover continued to drive to his destination only to see Dekeyser follow him.

Once in the parking lot, the educator can be heard on video asking Dekeyser why he called him the racial slur, to which Dekeyser replied, "I knew it would get a rise out of you (and) because you're acting like one." He later said "it's not against the law to do that, b----," according to the video. He also continued by saying "F--- you, n-----."

Stover, replied that he has "way more sense" than to insult Dekeyser like that "because I'm smarter than that and you're not." Stover noted that in hindsight, if he had allowed his emotions to take over his judgment, he may have ended up being the "subject of a tragic news story."

"It would have been a story with racial overtones because I am a large black man, over six feet tall and over 350 pounds, and the aggressive driver was a middle aged white man," he said.

He also said the altercation could have easily turned deadly, and he was glad it ended in a non-violent manner. While he was still a bit shaken by the experience, he said the situation is an indication that racism is "still very much alive" in this country. He also commended the Johns Creek police officer for his response and the actions he took following the incident.

[The] Johns Creek police officer was awesome," Stover told Patch in a message. "He responded to the situation quickly, worked efficiently, and he was extremely courteous."

WARNING: the video below contains strong language.

Image via Shutterstock