Undercover NYPD officer arrested in motorcycle/SUV melee

Melanie Eversley | USA TODAY

The New York City Police Department confirms an undercover police officer has been arrested in connection with the Sept. 29 videotaped Manhattan melee between motorcyclists and a motorist and his family in an SUV.

Wojciech Braszczok has been charged with riot and criminal mischief, Detective Brian Sessa of the NYPD's public information unit said Tuesday night. Sessa did not have details of the arrest or of Braszczok's role with the department or of what sort of penalties Braszczok might face.

A telephone message was left with Philip Karasyk — the man WCBS in New York reports is Braszczok's lawyer — but Karasyk did not immediately return that call.

Braszczok is one of at least three NYPD officers who took part in the ride and subsequent brawl that left a motorcyclist with crippling injuries and the SUV driver with lacerations. Four bikers have been criminally charged in the incident.

Karasyk has said his client only saw other bikers attacking the vehicle, but NYPD investigators believe the undercover officer banged on the SUV and broke a window, WCBS reported.

The developments first emerged on Oct. 1, when video of the alleged incident from two days before appeared on YouTube and went viral. In the video. SUV driver Alexian Lien is seen speeding through a circle of motorcyclists, bumping into some of them and the motorcyclists are seen giving chase, ultimately surrounding the SUV, smashing in the windows and attacking the driver.