In New York a dramatic confrontation between a driver and a group of bikers on Sunday ended with investigators searching for the bikers that beat the driver.
Investigators had to track down and interview dozens of motorcyclists in order to identify the ones that had attacked the driver.
It began as a minor collision between a motorcyclist and the driver of an SUV. But the situation escalated and the SUV driver ran over one biker and then was chased down by other bikers who then beat the driver.
Initially, a biker cut off the SUV driver, who could not avoid bumping into the biker’s tire. And then all hell broke loose. There was video of the entire confrontation caught by the camera on the helmet of one of the bikers. It that showed two dozen bikers swarming the SUV and then blocking the man from driving away. But as the driver saw the bikers get off their motorcycles and approach his vehicle, the man became frightened and forced his way through the path of bikers, plowing into one man and then driving away. For approximately 2.5 miles the group followed the SUV driver, but when the driver exited the highway he became stuck in traffic.
The video shows an angry biker walk up to the SUV and smash the driver’s window, using his helmet. The bikers pulled the man out of the vehicle and beat him. Police report that the beating was not shown in the video, however.
Alexian Lien, the SUV driver, was taken to the hospital where he received stitches for cuts on his face. He said that he drove off because he was afraid for his wife and two year old child, who were both in the car with him.
Police began the task of finding the men who were involved in the confrontation. They saw the video of the attack after it was shared online.
At this point only one man has been criminally charged. Christopher Cruz has been arraigned on the misdemeanor charges of unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving. According to police and prosecutors, Cruz was the biker who started the whole chain of events by cutting the SUV off. Prosecutors made their intentions known to a judge, stating that they plan to take the case against Cruz to a grand jury, which indicates that there will probably be additional charges.
According to prosecutors, there was a motorcycle rally that Cruz was participating in. The bikers, including Cruz, had been speeding on Manhattan’s West Side Highway. Cruz cut the black Range Rover driven by Lien off, and then Cruz immediately slowed down significantly. When he did this his rear tire bumped the front of the Range Rover. This is when prosecutors say that Cruz got off of his bike and approached the SUV.
But Cruz’ defense attorney, H. Benjamin Perez, denied the allegations and said that Cruz neither trapped nor assaulted Lien and that Cruz was not involved in the attack, he did not know who attacked the Lien, and that his client was approaching the SUV to exchange driver and insurance information. Perez says that Cruz will fight the charges and he believes Cruz will be successful.
Another man was arrested as well. Allen Edwards surrendered to police on Tuesday but the district attorney’s office has made the decision not to prosecute the man immediately.
Prosecutors are still investigating the case and have many more questions they hope to find answers to. So far they have spoken to Lien and several of the bikers and are they hoping to speak with the man whose camera recorded the incident.
Edwin Mieses Jr. was the biker who Lien ran over as he was fleeing the group of bikers he felt threatened by. He suffered spinal injuries, broke both his legs, and is permanently paralyzed.
Anyone who is injured in an accident caused by another driver’s negligent behavior should contact an auto accident attorney. Victims of motorcycle accidents in Missouri should contact a motorcycle accident attorney as soon as possible.
