Followup

Motorcyclist injured, another arrested in aftermath of NYC Land Rover chase [w/video] [UPDATE]

Sunday's incident between a black Land Rover Range Rover Sport and a fleet of motorcycles in New York City has been a topic of conversation across the internet, particularly here at Autoblog, where you, our readers, have racked up over 175,000 views and over 600 comments - some of which were quite cross - as of this writing. When the story first surfaced, conflicting reports from outlets as varied as the Daily Mail and Fox News made it difficult to determine what was what. Now, though, there's becoming a common consensus of information, and we wanted to update you with what is known. Bear with us, there's a lot of info here.

33-year-old Alexian Lien was driving with his wife and two-year-old daughter in the family's Range Rover Sport when they encountered a group of motorcyclists on a loosely organized ride known as "Hollywood Stuntz." No one, police included, seem to be sure what happened before video started rolling, but when it did, we saw 28-year-old Christopher Cruz appear to brake-check the SUV, with Lien tapping the motorcycle's rear wheel. This is where things begin to get murky.

Lien reportedly stopped after bumping Cruz's motorcycle, and according to New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, "They [the bikers] take their helmets and they start to dent his car, and apparently his tires are slashed with a knife." Fearing for his family's safety, Lien punched the gas, hitting three bikers – one of whom, contrary to yesterday's reports, was so seriously injured that if he survives, he may never walk again – and roaring off into the distance.

According to The New York Times, one of the bikers contradicted Commissioner Kelly's report, saying, "No biker became aggressive with the driver after the incident." Allegedly, it wasn't until Lien took off that things turned violent.

UPDATE: The original video has now been removed from YouTube. We've replaced it below with a report from ABC News that includes much of the footage, along with post-incident interviews and commentary. Again, viewer discretion is advised.
The 50-block, six-minute-long chase ended when Lien exited the West Side Highway at West 178th Street in Washington Heights, as his tires started to fail, according to police sources cited by The New York Post. The bikers caught up, with one using his helmet to smash the Land Rover's driver's side window. The gang ripped Lien out of his vehicle and beat him to the point that he was treated for lacerations and a pair of black eyes at Columbia University Medical Center.

Cruz, the man said to have brake-checked Lien, has been arrested by the NYPD and charged with a number of crimes, including reckless endangerment, menacing and acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17, according to Fox News. As for 32-year-old Edwin Mieses, the seriously injured biker, he was reportedly rushed to St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, where he's currently in a medically induced coma. He was treated for two broken legs, spinal fractures and bruised lungs, with doctors unsure if he'll ever walk again. The New York Daily News is reporting that although police are still investigating, there aren't any plans to charge Lien for the injuries to Mieses.

If you haven't seen the controversial video of the incident, it can be viewed in the original post, or you can see it below. Fair warning, it's rather disturbing.

UPDATE: The original video has now been removed from YouTube. We've replaced it below with a report from ABC News that includes much of the footage, along with post-incident interviews and commentary. Again, viewer discretion is advised.


Land Rover Range Rover Sport Information

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