A motorcyclist involved in last week's violent altercation where a group of bikers attacked an SUV gave the middle finger to reporters in court Sunday, according to the New York Daily News.
Reginald Chance, 37, who has been arraigned on charges of gang assault, allegedly smashed the Range Rover's window with his helmet before driver Alexian Lien was pulled from the car and beaten by the bikers.
The Brooklyn motorcyclist flipped off reporters with both middle fingers right before appearing in front of a judge in Manhattan Criminal Court on Sunday, according to the Daily News. Chance was charged with assault, gang assault and criminal mischief, and bail was set at $75,000 cash or $100,000 bond. He was driving with a suspended license, prosecutors said, according to the Daily News.
Police found no evidence that Chance hit the driver, but he began the events that led to the beating, said Manhattan District Attorney Samantha Turino.
Gregory Watts, Chance's lawyer, said the gang assault charge is excessive because Chance did not actually assault Lien, who needed stitches after being beaten by the bikers.
In the bizarre incident that was caught on video, a gang of motorcyclists stopped a black SUV on the West Side Highway, attacked the vehicle, then chased the driver after he ran over a biker while trying to escape.
Edwin Mieses Jr. of Massachusetts, who was run over as Lien attempted to flee, suffered a broken spine and two broken legs and may never walk again.
The phalanx of bikers followed the Range Rover to Washington Heights, where five or six motorcyclists pulled Lien from his car and beat him. They also tried to force Lien's wife from the car, where she was inside with their 2-year-old.
Sergio Consuegra, 52, saw the incident on his way to church and stopped to put himself in between the bikers and Lien. The motorcyclists backed off after bystanders began screaming for them to leave the mother and child alone, Consuegra said.
Chance is the third suspect arrested in connection with the gang assault.
Christopher Cruz, 28, who police say incited the confrontation by cutting off the SUV and stopping short, was charged last week in the assault and is out on bail. He was also driving without a license.
The third biker, Robert Sims, 35, of Brooklyn, surrendered Friday and has been arraigned on charges including gang assault.
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