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NYPD SUV assault: Undercover cop pleads not guilty

NYPD Detective Wojciech Braszczok faces 14 charges, including criminal mischief and riot.

By Gabrielle Levy

Nov. 21 (UPI) -- The undercover police officer and three bikers arrested after a motorcycle gang went after the driver of an SUV on New York City's West Side Highway in September pleaded not guilty to charges of gang assault Wednesday.

Appearing in Manhattan Superior Court, his face and head covered in a hood and scarf to avoid being photographed, NYPD Detective Wojciech Braszczok, who was seen on a video of the incident punching out the side window of Alexian Lien's Range Rover, was released on $150,000 bond.

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Clint Caldwell, James Kuehne and Kaliq Douglas, who all also pleaded not guilty, are among the 10 bikers charged with gang assault and face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. An 11th biker, Christopher Cruz, faces lesser charges of reckless driving.

Braszczok faces a total of 14 charges, including counts of criminal mischief and riot for the September 29 incident.

Video recorded by another biker's helmet showed Lien bumping the back wheel Cruz's motorcycle, then being surrounded by other bikers. Lien, who had his wife and 2-year-old daughter in the car with him, called 911, telling the dispatcher he feared for his life.

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Lien then drove off, hitting several bikers and critically injuring one. The rest of the motorcyclists followed him, and when he was stopped by backed-up traffic, the bikers attacked the Range Rover, ultimately dragging Lien from the vehicle and beating him.

[New York Post]

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