New arrest in West Side Highway road rage incident

  

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The NYPD has made another arrest in its investigation into the road rage incident between a group of motorcyclists and the driver of an SUV that started on the Henry Hudson Parkway last weekend.

The latest suspect is 29-year-old Craig Wright, who was arrested at his Brooklyn home Monday. Wright has been charged with gang assault, assault and unlawful imprisonment. Wright is the the fourth motorcyclist charged in connection with the road rage incident.

Police are searching for three more people and have released photos of two additional men they say were involved in the attack on Alexian Lien last Sunday.

Lien and his wife were pulled out of their Range Rover and Lien was held to the ground and beaten.

The man accused of bashing in the driver's side window during the attack was arraigned Sunday.

Reginald Chance, 37, is charged with gang assault, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal mischief. He made an obscene gesture towards photographers in court.

Chance will be back in court on Thursday, though his attorney says he did not take part in the attack on Lien.

"It's obvious he overreacted, but the does permit someone who is a victim of an accident to at least attempt to get the identification of the motorist," attorney Gregory Watts said. "He did not assault anyone. He did not kick anyone or punch anyone, or did he authorize anyone to do any of those things."

Robert Sims, 35, was also charged over the weekend.

Investigators say he was the man who tried to open the driver's side door of the SUV.

Detectives are also working to determine if some of their own were there at the time and didn't stop the attack.

There are reports at least two off-duty NYPD officers were riding with the group. One was an undercover narcotics cops who sources say didn't get involved for fear of blowing his cover.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he is awaiting the results of the investigation into the involvement of the off-duty officers.

"The question is: should they have identified themselves or whatever? I don't know what the facts are and I can't prejudge it," said Bloomberg. "I think we all, no matter what your job is, we have an obligation to help one another. And if you see someone getting beaten up, let's go jump in and stop the fight. Having said that, if someone has a gun and a fight, most people would walk or run away very quickly."

The NYPD has confirmed that the undercover narcotics officer has been placed on "modified" duty, meaning desk duty, after reporting to superiors last Wednesday that he was there for the incident. Prosecutors are investigating his involvement.

Meanwhile, the biker accused of causing the accident that led to the chase says he's being treated unfairly.

Christopher Cruz, 28, is the motorcyclist who swerved in front of the SUV, stopping short before he was struck by it.

Prosecutors charged him with unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving, but he insists he's not a criminal.

"I don't think I feel responsible for what happened," he said. "I do feel bad for the family that got hurt."

The Good Samaritan who stepped in to stop the attack was honored for his bravery Sunday.

Sergio Consuegra joined New York State Ssenator Adriano Eespaillat in Washington Heights.

Espaillat praised his courage, demonstrated in a photo that shows Consuegra standing with his arms extended over the Lien.

Even with everything he did, Consuegra says that he wishes he could have done more.

ONLINE:
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.

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