Skip to content

SEE IT! ‘Racist’ Wolverine Man Hit With 14-Year Sentence

Queens DA Melinda Katz said the sentence stemming from the June 2020 incident was "justice."
SEE IT! ‘Racist’ Wolverine Man Hit With 14-Year Sentence
The man, spotted with a knife glove, is seen just before he got back into his car and chased down protesters.

The “Wolverine”-glove-wearing racist who first taunted, then attempted to run over nine Black Lives Matter protesters in 2020, was sent to jail on Tuesday for 14 years on the nine attempted murder counts.

The driver, Frank Cavalluzzi, was convicted last year, but the lengthy sentence was handed down by Supreme Court Justice Michelle Johnson in part because of video evidence presented at trial that showed Cavalluzzi first donning a glove with long blades, then swinging at peaceful protesters before jumping back into his car and speeding towards them on a sidewalk.

The protesters scattered in horror, as a a supercut of the video shows:

Queens DA Melinda Katz said the sentence stemming from the June 2020 incident was “justice.”

“A dangerous man is being held accountable for unleashing terror on peaceful
demonstrators who were simply exercising their First Amendment right,” she said in a statement that emphasized the Cavalluzzi used “racial slurs” to taunt the peaceful protesters as they held signs and chanted on an overpass above the Cross Island Parkway in Whitestone.

Cavalluzzi, of Flushing, yelled, “I will kill you,” which was captured in Streetsblog’s video.

Cavalluzzi’s lawyer, Jason Russo, said he’s already filed a notice of appeal, arguing that Johnson’s sentence was “too harsh” and that Katz engaged in a prosecutorial overreach.

“The case was over-charged,” Russo told Streetsblog. “The charge of attempted murder suggests that he took steps to kill people. In fact, the video shows that if he wanted to hit and kill anybody, the opportunity was there. But he purposely did not hit anyone.”

Photo of Gersh Kuntzman
Tabloid legend Gersh Kuntzman has been with New York newspapers since 1989, including stints at the New York Daily News, the Post, the Brooklyn Paper and even a cup of coffee with the Times. He's also the writer and producer of "Murder at the Food Coop," which was a hit at the NYC Fringe Festival in 2016, and “SUV: The Musical” in 2007. He also writes the Cycle of Rage column, which is archived here.

Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.

More from Streetsblog New York City

ANALYSIS: MTA Example Case For Hochul’s Insurance Plan Does Not Hold Up To Scrutiny

April 14, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines: Old Man Yells At Hochul Edition

April 14, 2026

Janno Lieber Op-Ed: Hochul’s Insurance Plan Is a Pro-Transit Plan

April 14, 2026

Mamdani Embraces 20-Year-Old Plan to Create A Car-Free Link Between Prospect Park And Grand Army Plaza

April 13, 2026

Rampant Placard Abuse is Mucking Up This Bike Lane in Downtown Brooklyn

April 13, 2026
See all posts