3rd officer comes forward in motorcycle road rage case

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

3rd NYPD officer comes forward in motorcycle assault case

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nyc news, new york city news, new york news, new york city, new york news, kemberly richardson

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) -- A third NYPD officer has come forward admitting that he was riding along with the bikers involved in the pursuit and assault of an SUV driver last month.

His attorney says the officer claims he wasn't a part of the attack on Alexian Lien. He says the officer didn't even see the chaos that quickly unfolded.

"I'm sure he is now in hindsight saying 'Why did I ever do this? This is the stupidest thing I've ever done in my life," attorney Patrick Bonanno said.

Investigators are still sorting out the crash between the bikers and Lien, who at one point ran over a biker and critically injuring him. Lien's wife has said he fled to protect her and their 2-year-old daughter. Lien hasn't been charged with any crime.

Bonanno insists his client was nowhere near the powder keg when it blew up. He says the off-duty NYPD officer, who at this point has been cleared of any criminal charges, was on the West Side when hundreds of motorcycles came to a stop. He was at the back of the pack. He had no idea what was going on just north of him, Bonanno said.

"Ultimately, he inched his way, saw a couple of fellas lying on the ground - or at least one fella lying on the ground, thought he had been a victim of one of the stunts they performed, and when he inched his way to a free lane, he ultimately left the highway scene," he said.

Now we know that injured biker was Edwin Mieses Jr., who suffered leg and spine injuries and may be paralyzed. Bonanno says his client kept driving toward the Cross Bronx, clueless to the ugly scene unfolding in Washington Heights.

The officer was riding with a group from New Rochelle called the Front Line Soldiers, 5 or 6 men who have ties to law enforcement or are war vets. Among them, Detective Woljciech Braszczok, who has been charged after getting caught on video hitting Lien's SUV.

Bonanno points out even though his client started the ride with Vojcheck, he got separated. Right now, the officer is trying to clear his name, determined to stay with the department.