A third motorcyclist has been charged in connection to the SUV gang assault on a New York City father last week.
Police say Reginald Chance, 37, of Brooklyn, used his helmet to bash in the driver's side window of Alexian Lien's Range Rover before a group of bikers
dragged the man out of the car and started beating him Sept. 29, according to NBC New York.
Chance, who turned himself into police Friday, was charged Sunday with first-degree gang assault, assault, criminal possession of a weapon, criminal mischief, and unlawful imprisonment. Under New York law, gang assault means causing serious injury with the help of two or more people.
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Police said there is no evidence that Chance actually took part in Lien's beating, but claimed that his actions set in motion the sequence of events that led to the group of motorcyclists pulling the victim from the car, NBC New York reported.
The confrontation started Sept. 29 when Lien was driving with his wife and 2-year-old daughter on the Hudson Parkway. A group of bikers who had just attended a rally were riding near the vehicle. One of them reportedly cut in front of Lien and slowed down. Lien then bumped the rider.
At that point, the rest of the crew surrounded the SUV and slowed down. Lien, who was apparently frightened for the safety of his family, sped away, hitting one of the bikers as he went.
That man — Edwin Mieses Jr., of Lawrence, Mass. — suffered a broken spine and two broken legs. His family said he may never walk again, according to NBC New York.
The angry mob then chased after Lien and eventually stopped him and pulled him from the car, pummeling him in front of his wife and daughter. He reportedly needed stitches after the beating.
Christopher Cruz, 28, of Passaic, N.J., was charged with misdemeanor second-degree unlawful imprisonment and reckless driving after cutting off Lien's SUV and slowing down.
Robert Sims, 35, of Brooklyn, charged with first-degree gang assault, first-degree assault, and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon for allegedly leading the beating. His bail was set at $100,000.
Law enforcement officials told NBC New York that Lien will not be charged and that he is cooperating with investigators.
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