Biker Christopher Cruz appeared in court on Wednesday. He is the first biker charged in the incident that occurred during an unpermitted bike rally on last Sunday. Reuters
On October 2, motorcyclist Christopher Cruz was charged for his role in a violent road rage incident involving numerous bikers and the driver of an SUV. This offered the first glimpse of the biker who was arrested just two days after a shocking video was posted to YouTube showing a group of bikers attacking an SUV.
Cruz, 28, of Passaic, N.J., was charged with reckless driving as well as misdemeanor charges that include unlawful imprisonment, The Daily Mail mail. Cruz's attorney, H. Benjamin Perez, said his client denies all the allegations and "will come back to fight this case and clear his name." The encounter left biker Edwin Mieses Jr., 26, severely injured and the SUV driver Alexian Lien, 33, in need of stitches to his face after being attacked by the bikers. The incident was captured by the helmet cam of one of the bikers participating in the unauthorized rally on last Sunday.
Cruz is currently the only person charged in the incident. But authorities say they are continuing to investigate what happened both before and after what was captured on the helmet camera. Reuters
According to authorities, Cruz was one of the cyclists riding on New York City's West Side Highway in Manhattan when he cut in front of the Range Rover driven by Lien. Cruz then began to slow down causing the two vehicles to collide. At that point, the video shows close to a dozen bikers begin to surround the vehicle, which had stopped on the highway.
Lien, who was in the car with his 2-year-old child and wife, then appeared to panic, driving through the group of bikers and hitting at least one of them as he tried to get away. A group of cyclists then chased him until the vehicle exited the highway and became stuck in traffic. The video then shows the bikers smash the driver's side window of the SUV.
Lien was then pulled from the vehicle and beaten by the bikers, authorities say. But Perez claims his client was not involved in the beating of Lien. The Manhattan DA has also charged Allen Edwards, 42, who was arrested on Tuesday after turning himself in to police. Cruz is currently out after posting $1,500 bail. Prosecutor Karen Friedman-Agnifilo, who is overseeing the investigation being completed by the DA, says officials are trying to build the strongest case possible.
Mieses, who was hit by Lien as he attempted to get away from the bikers, remains in the hospital with broken legs and injuries to his spine. At this time, police have yet to decide if Lien will face charges.
