Defense Attorney: Alleged Officer-Involved Road Rage Incident 'Never Happened'
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Pittsburgh Police officer appeared in court Monday, accused in an incident of road rage.
Officer Robert Kramer walked through city court in civilian clothes, not his police uniform.
Back in May, he was placed on administrative leave from the police bureau after he was accused in a case of road rage -- a charge Kramer's defense attorney completely denies.
"It is our contention that this entire story is fabricated and that this person went after Officer Kramer of just that, because he's a police officer," defense attorney Blaine Jones said."
According to the criminal complaint, Kramer is accused of pointing a gun at a man at the corner of Chartiers Avenue and Straka Street in Sheraden.
The man told police Kramer pulled alongside him and started fighting with him about speed and recklessly driving. The man says the next thing he knew, he was "looking down the barrel of a silver revolver with bullets in the chambers."
He says Kramer then sped off.
Police tracked the license plate to Officer Kramer.
After a two-hour preliminary hearing Monday, Kramer was held for trial, but his defense attorney says the entire incident never happened.
"It's our understanding that a couple days prior, maybe two days prior, Officer Kramer encountered this gentleman while Officer Kramer was in his vehicle, and Officer Kramer's vehicle is very distinctive. The guy kind of smirked at Officer Kramer, and this is his way of getting back at Officer Kramer," Jones said. "That's his entire motive, and that's why we're here today. And it's unfortunate and it's not fair."
The defense also maintains Kramer had a cell phone in his hand, not a gun.
"The fact that he was holding a silver phone, the fact that his phone records matched the time when this allegedly incident took place," Jones said.
The defense says the man failed to testify about a prominent brace on Kramer's wrist.
"He was actually coming from physical therapy. He had been hurt very seriously the day prior and one of the injuries he sustained, according to the doctor's records, was an injured right wrist," Jones said, "and that's why he was wearing a very bulky wrist bandage, which this gentleman never testified to because it never happened."
