Two men have now been arrested after a violent altercation on the streets of New York that left two men severely injured and one man fighting for his life.
The incident unfolded on Sunday, after a large group of bikers surrounded an SUV on the highway, forcing the driver–33-year old Alexian Lien–to slow down and eventually come to a stop. Lien, who had his wife and 2-year old child in the vehicle, apparently panicked as the group surrounded them and sped off, hitting one man and running over another in the process. The bikers then chased down Lien over the course of several minutes, which were captured on a helmet camera, and after he was forced to stop in traffic in Washington Heights, members of the group broke out windows and dragged him out onto the street for a beating. He suffered lacerations to his face and chest which required stitches, as well as several facial injuries.
One of the men arrested, 28-year old Christopher Cruz, faces charges of reckless endangerment, reckless driving and endangering the welfare of a child, among others. Cruz was the biker who was struck when Lien left the first scene. The other suspect, 42-year old Allen Edwards, was arrested and faces charges of reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and menacing.
As for the man who was run over–32-year old Edwin Mieses–he suffered fractures in every one of his ribs and can’t breathe on his own. Doctors fear he may be paralyzed. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says that they are looking at the helmet camera footage and surveillance footage to determine whether any charges will be filed against Lien for leaving the scene of an accident, saying, “you have to look at the totality of the circumstances and that’s what we’re doing. The investigation is ongoing.”
Mieses’ mother says she believes something should be done.
“It’s not going to bring my son’s legs back, because it’s not going to make him walk again,” Yolanda Santiago said. “But justice has to be served.”