Cycle Gang Beats Motorist After Terrifying Chase

NEW YORK (AP) —

A man driving with his family along a Manhattan highway was attacked and beaten by a large group of motorcyclists who first surrounded his SUV 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 and a
second 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.

The frightening assault on Alexian Lien, 33, began around 1:30 p.m., Sunday on the 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, reportedly in revenge for Lien’s 911 call of them driving erratically. 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.

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. Some of the bikers then began damaging the Range Rover.

Fearing for his safety, Lien suddenly accelerated, 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 1/2 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. A biker then began using his helmet to smash the driver’s window. The group then pulled the man from the SUV and beat him. Lien’s wife and child were not injured.

On Tuesday, police arrested two bikers who were involved in the initial accident. One of them, Christopher Cruz, 28, of Passaic, N.J., was charged with reckless endangerment, reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a child and menacing.

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