Undercover NYPD Detective Pleads Not Guilty To Gang Assault Charge In Motorcycle Melee
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) - An undercover New York City police detective has pleaded not guilty to gang assault related to a motorcyclist-SUV highway melee.
Undercover detective Wojciech Braszczok appeared in Manhattan state Supreme Court Wednesday. He came to court with his hood over his head and a scarf covering his face.
Braszczok and 10 other bikers were charged with gang assault in the West Side Highway incident.
Undercover NYPD Detective Pleads Not Guilty To Gang Assault Charge In Motorcycle Melee
Prosecutors have said Braszczok was caught on video participating in the Sept. 29 attack by shattering the SUV's back window. He was off duty at the time.
As WCBS 880's Irene Cornell reported, Braszczok has said he took off before Lien was dragged from the car and beaten in front of his wife and baby daughter. Braszczok did not tell NYPD brass that he'd been at the scene for days afterwards.
Attorney John Arlia had no comment.
Biker James Kuehne was also in court on Wednesday.
Police say the SUV driver, Alexian Lien, bumped a bike that had slowed in front of him. Then bikers converged on the vehicle.
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Police say the driver, while trying to get away, ran over a biker. They say motorcyclists then caught up with the driver and beat him.
Lien hasn't been charged.
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