The attack by about 30 bikers followed a accident and a two-mile chase through Manhattan, according to police. All but one of the suspects is still at large.
NEW YORK — A man driving with his family along a New York City highway was attacked and beaten by a large group of motorcyclists who first surrounded his sport utility vehicle and stopped it on the road, then chased him for miles after he plowed through the blockade of bikes in an attempt to escape.
One biker suffered two broken legs and other severe injuries when the SUV ran over him, police said. A second biker suffered a leg injury. The driver, who was traveling with his wife and toddler, was taken to a hospital where he required stitches to his face.
On Tuesday, police arrested the biker who was involved in the initial accident. Christopher Cruz, 28, of New Jersey, was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a child and menacing. He was not injured. Cruz was in custody awaiting arraignment Tuesday and hadn’t yet been assigned a lawyer. A woman who answered a phone number listed in some records as being connected with the address where Cruz lives said she didn’t speak English and hung up the phone.
The frightening assault on the 33-year-old man began around 1:30 p.m. local time Sunday on Manhattan’s West Side Highway and was partially captured on a helmet-mounted video camera worn by one of the riders involved in the chase.
A portion of the video posted on the Internet by an unidentified user shows a large group of bikers swarming around the Range Rover as it heads north on the highway. One of the bikers then moves into the SUV’s lane and rides briefly alongside the vehicle, peering in through the driver’s side window. It isn’t clear from the video what the driver might have done to anger the motorcyclist.
The biker then cuts in front of the Range Rover and, still staring at the driver, suddenly slows down. It isn’t captured on the video, but the motorcycle and SUV bumped, police said.
The motorcyclists, 20 to 30 in all, then come to a complete halt on the highway, blocking the SUV’s path. Some dismount and approach the vehicle. Police said some of the bikers then began damaging the Range Rover, which isn’t clear from the video.
The video shows the SUV suddenly accelerating, bouncing over at least one of the motorcycles and its rider as others scramble to get out of the way. The cyclists give chase, pursuing the driver for about 2.5 miles. At one point, the bikers succeed in getting the SUV to stop. One ripped open the driver’s door, but he sped away.
The chase ended when the SUV exited the highway and got stuck in traffic on a city street. The video shows one biker using his helmet to smash the driver’s window. Police said the group then pulled the man from the SUV and beat him, although that part isn’t shown on the recording posted online. The police department confirmed that the video circulating online is authentic.
Police didn’t identify the driver, who was not charged. His wife and child were not injured.
Police distributed images of two bikers they said were involved in the chase and said they were wanted for assault.
Police believe some of the bikers belong to a gang known as Hollywood Stuntz. They said the motorcyclists were part of a planned but unauthorized event in which hundreds of riders gathered outside of Manhattan, with the intent of driving into Times Square en masse.
And with regards to the biker who is paralyzed and in a medically induced coma? this is a loosing situation for all who were involved. Asian runs over Latino rapper with bad driving record and no charges just that he was in fear of his life.
The driver hurt two bikers and it seem like they wanted him to stop…he didn’t he just rode over the other guy a so it get crus…..mussi did a go home go call him lawyer …..cause him neva intend fi stop …….so dem stop him ….sometime wi fi tek responsibility nutten saying pulling him out of the vehicle is right but him only get a few bruises …one man has two broken legs other one is paralysed him fi jus forgive di biker dem ….cause him coulda easily dead right now
I don’t know what news report the two people above have watched or read and I don’t know which video they are watching but based on what the report says and the video, it seems as if the bikers provoked the man, then one of the bikers slowed infront of him and from what I am seeing, he didn’t really have any time to stop and so he bumped the bike. The bikers then surrounded him and stopped the vehicle completely and seemed as if they were ready to harm him and then him run dem over and drive weh. If I was in my vehicle wid my child and spouse and so much man surround me ready fi beat me, mi woulda do the same thing and call police. I don’t see any evidence yet fi say the driver wrong.
@my2cent same suh…. I would have done wat the driver did too
And from wah me see, him never hit anybody at first. After dem ride up beside the man, it seem as if the bikers a pick some kinda trouble and the man on the bike brake up infront him and him bump the bike. It’s not the driver’s fault. If somebody suddenly brakes up infront you, you cant do anything but bump dem or swerve. Driver didn’t have time to swerve. The bikers were picking trouble
If my wife and kids were in the car and 30 bikers stopped infront of me on the highway to intimidate me, I would run over them in a heart beat to protect my family. No questions asked or no second thoughts.
Same thing me say. I have been going through other reports and they are saying that after the guy on the bike brake up and the driver bump him and stop, one of the bikers actually go up and slash his tyres or attempted to and a try intimidate him and a that time the man speed off and run dem over.
Fr yesterday ive been saying it. I would run dem over, then back up and run dem over again. Dem think them own the road and other drivers fi fraid a them
Dem lucky the man neva have nor draw him tool and empty it pan dem…some people only bad inna crew and coward by them self….hope the young child isn’t traumatized and is okay, as well as wifey…
Next time sir, if not already, get licensed to carry…it’s within your 2nd amendment rights for you and your family. Better safe than sorry..
I read the same thing you read and I also read the first report. You only saw one man being run over here. The first part of the video was not recorded. They tried to stop the man when he hit two motorcycles. The bikers then recorded what he was doing after he hit the first biker, the driver left the scene. As you can see there were other cars in the vicinity and they were not blocking them.
Man flee fi him life to hell. But I really want to know what preceded them trying to circle him in the first place. Cauz all I see is t hem trying to stop him the first time and him drive whe. Dem ride him down fi kill him ass. I feel is the presence of his family that likely saved his life. Need the whole video fi get a deduction, I just don’t see why dem was trying to stop him in the first place
@real above..u r telling people they didn’t see the 1st part of the video, did you see it?? Do u know where the 1st part of the video is? Why don’t u show it? Were you there when the man hit 2 motorcycles? Exactly, now shut yuh ass. Go by what u see on the video which is a bunch of assholes antagonizing a man and his family. If u look on the internet u will see other videos of these same guys running through redlights and reaching thru a motorist’s window and punching him in his face. Don’t talk about what u don’t know.
yuh caw cum yah cum tel no regulah bloggah fi shut dem ass FOH everybady entitle to dem opinion suh juss mek urs n keep it bloodclawt moving briteeeeeeee
yes an mi mean evrybaddieeeeeeeeee
:thumbup
I thought that’s what happened tho…opinion stated and things were kept moving. Why the extra follow up tho? lol. Jmg is for everybody and we all play a part the minute we log on so Easy with the Internet muscle. I look all the time without commenting and if one day I feel to comment I will say what I feel according to the rules of this site.
:kiss
I am sure you wake up in the morning and as good child you remember and thing about your mother. Did you see her when you were being born? Do you remember her face as she did the first time you saw her? I am not arguing I always know there are two sides to a story …….the truth and what could have happened. No need to insult me it has not effect.
think*
BIKERS BEHAVE LIKE DEM A IRON MAN AND EVERY BODY ON DI ROAD MUST CLEAR ROAD AND GI DEM WAY, DI MAN SHOULDA RUN OVER 10 A DEM, HOW NONE A DEM NUH CALL DI COPS BOUT DEM A INSTIGATE VIOLENCE AND SCARE DI MAN, MI NUH SORRY FI DEM.
kmft run over dem mumma bloodclat yes and like oh please say YUH HAVE THE VIDEO DID U SEE IT HOW ABOUT U POST IT KMRCT dem biker deh fi go siddunnggg TR888
De biker dem swarm de vehicle like some wild animals, OMG!
People lets not get it twisted both parties were wrong… stop painting a picture as if running some one over with a SUV is acceptable.. that self defense claim has to be proven. if we are going by what the video shows then there was no indication any of the bikers put hands on his vehicle in the first instance….
Everyone quick to say this man was protecting his family but he could have easily instigated and escalated the situation as well… we just dont know…
You dont always have to make a villain and try find a hero in every situation presented to you..
never leave the seen of an accident. if u bumped him by accident call the police don’t leave, now ur gonna cry self def fence after u ran over there people… ur wrong both are wrong u should also get charged the other bikers did what they thought was right, however it was wrong. u ran over there friend near killed them so yes they fought back two wrongs don’t make a right but u should be charged also