New York Daily News – by SHAYNA JACOBS
A veteran undercover cop busted in a motorcycle mob attack has been indicted for gang assault and other serious felonies by a Manhattan grand jury, the Daily News has learned.
NYPD Detective Wojciech Braszczok, who faces up to 25 years behind bars if convicted on the top counts, is one of 11 bikers formally charged in a 14-count indictment over the Sept. 29 attack on Range Rover driver Alexian Lien that went viral when footage of the beatdown taken from a helmet-mounted camera was posted online.
Braszczok, 32, who was deep undercover during the height of the Occupy Wall Street movement, is free on a $150,000 bail bond.
The detective’s attorney, John Arlia, declined to comment on the development when reached by phone Friday.
JEFFERSON SIEGEL
Braszczok, 32, who was deep undercover during the height of the Occupy Wall Street movement, is free on a $150,000 bail bond. Here, Braszczok enters Manhattan Criminal Court on Oct. 11.
The embattled cop will be presented with the indictment at a Nov. 20 arraignment in Manhattan Supreme Court. He also faces assault, coercion, riot and criminal mischief.
All bikers but one — Christopher Cruz — face gang assault charges and the possibility of decades in prison.
Cruz — who was seen on the video getting rear-ended by Lien and is accused of stopping short in traffic on purpose — faces felony level criminal mischief and up to four years in prison.
Also included in the indictment is Allen Edwards, who told cops he was trying to stop the attack. He has been cooperating since shortly after the incident, said his attorney John Carney.
A man who is believed to be Wojciech Braszczok (red motorcycle, rainbow helmet, New Rochelle logo on jacket) during the biker chase and attack of Alexian Lien. He is the undercover detective arraigned on Wednesday, October 9, 2013 for being part of a biker group which assaulted a driver in an SUV on the West Side Highway.
Carney said Edwards, who was arrested this week, along with a Good Samaritan, actually “saved the life of (Lien), saved him from having serious injuries and prevented other people from being involved.”
He “was the voice of reason and was the most reasonable, courageous person there, to stand up to these people who he’s not friends with. He doesn’t know these bikers.”
Lien was chased up the West Side Highway and was pulled out of his car on W. 178th St. as his wife watched in horror with their young child in the back seat.
Critics say Lien needlessly mowed down one of the bikers, nearly killing him, and should be charged.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment.
Nice! So they’re throwing him under the bus? And 10 others?
My only question is why.