Cyclist arrested for running red light (Upper West Side)

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SRabin
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  A female cyclist was arrested around 6:00pm today after allegedly running a red light.  As a disclaimer, I arrived as she was being arrested so what I describe below is mostly what learned from other people. 

After the cyclist allegedly ran the red light, an unmarked police car attempted to stop the woman.  The woman was suspicious of them and thus did not stop immediately.  An officer in street clothes then attempted to grab the woman, and she began to kick and scream.  Within minutes, she was surrounded my 2 marked police cars and a police van.  She was then handcuffed against the police car (with her helmet still on) and was crying.  She was taken away in a van and her bike was placed in the trunk of the unmarked police car.  The trunk could not close, so the unmarked car drove away with the trunk constantly smashing down on the bike.  About 20 people watched as this occurred and many of them videoed the entire incident. 
Anon2
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Let's get those videos up on Youtube pronto!

Maybe this story can make the morning news on the Today Show!

I forwarded your message to the Shows editorial staff. 

Here is the link if you know of someone with video...

 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29041920/ns/today-today_participate/ 

GraceL
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Where on Upper West Side

Can you please tell us exactly where the incident occurred?

SRabin
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Amsterdam between 76th and

Amsterdam between 76th and 77th.  In front of Crumbs and Equinox.

Factsplease
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Its silly to post a

Its silly to post a sensationalist story like this with no evidence.

JFinder
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+1

Unmarked police cars have flashing lights and plain-clothes officers have badges and identify themselves.  There must be more (or less) to this story.

 

SRabin
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You are right.  The unmarked

You are right.  The unmarked car had one blue and one red light in the grill.  The plain-clothes officers also had badges around their neck. 

As I hope was conveyed in the original post, all I can tell you is what I saw after I arrived and what people who were there and saw the whole thing told me.  I do not know anything beyond that.  I sent the pictures to the club so they can look into it if they want to do so.

 

MGewirtz
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Unmarked policemen and cars

Just because someone has flashing lights on their car, or a badge for that matter is not conclusive proof that the bearer is a policeman.  I have read a number of stories regarding criminals posing as police officers so they could victimize women.  I don't know what happened, but I think a woman by herself, or a man for that matter, is entitled to have proof that someone is really a police officer before they submit to their orders.  There is a great danger of plainclothes policemen going after traffic violators.  The plainclothes officer should request the assistance of a marked cruiser, or at least an office in police uniform to assure the person that the officer is for real.  It seems odd that plainclothes police are now involved in bicycle enforcement.  I think it is a big mistake and will cause great harm to the public and the image of teh police.  I have read articles advising women in cars being followed by unmarked police, even with blinking lights to pull over in a well lighted populated area where assistance is available and ask the "officer" to have a uniformed officer respond before opening the door or window. 

Mojo
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More detailed info (disgusting abuse of power!!!)
JFinder
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There's no photo, just a series of comments by one person.

It seems to be a one-sided conversation by someone using the name "Eric Martin."  No photo is visible.  It might be a members-only website.  Can you clarify how to see the photo(s)?

Cmoore
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Good general knowledge to
citycyclist
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Google any sort of incident

Google any sort of incident on this date, in this location and all you get is this message board.

 

 

Christina Thede
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THAT WAS ME

SRabin, I'm the girl who got arrested yesterday on the bike.  I just decided to google and see if I could find anyone that was there.  I'm seeing a lawyer tomorrow.  Do you have photos?  Video?  Can you please give me your contact information and let me know if you can please help me?  

Christina Thede
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THAT WAS ME

SRabin, I'm the girl who got arrested yesterday on the bike.  I just decided to google and see if I could find anyone that was there.  I'm seeing a lawyer tomorrow.  Do you have photos?  Video?  Can you please give me your contact information and let me know if you can please help me?  

Dwight Schrute
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Nyvelocity

http://nyvelocity.com/content/features/2011/undercover-cops-bike-duty#comment-87671 

Gothamist may cover tommorow which might help get photos/videos.

SRabin
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I sent the pictures to your

I sent the pictures to your email account.  Best of luck.

amb2011
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Good Luck

Christina -- I am glad to hear you are okay. I saw the whole thing yesterday and was also searching online to see if there was a news article that indicated what happened to you. The whole thing was scary to watch and while I didn't take any pictures or video (sorry) I want you to know that many people watching were questioning the situation and were concerned for you. The number of police, undercover cops and police vehicles cordoning off the area was so large that there didn't seem to be a venue to ask if you were okay -- it was clear that you were going to be taken away. I waited until you left in the van and watched them put your bike and personal belongings into another car and leave with it. After that, the scene cleared. I don't like to admit to being such a gawker, but I felt really bad for you. I'd say that there were approx 4-5 cop cars (undercover and marked), the NYPD van, and over 10 law enforcement officers, 3-4 of which were holding you down cuffed on a car, some of whom were wearing bulletproof vests. I am sure it was scary for you.

I hope you can find someone that was taking video or pictures, there were definately people around capturing it.

Best of luck to you.

Christina Thede
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Email me if you can help

This message board has lead to the discovery of more information already, so thank you.  If anyone would like to help me, if you witnessed this, and especially if you have photos or video, please email nycgreenbike@gmail.com.

RRosenthal
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Alas, my friend Jim Finder is wrong when he wrote, above...

Jim wrote, above, "Plain-clothes officers ..identify themselves."

He's right that they are supposed to, but....

As it  happens, a NYCC member was brutally beaten by plainclothes officers in NJ who did NOT identify themselves. He called the police to report a burglary. He went downstairs to let the police in...whereupon they, presuming he was the burglar, beat the crap out of him.

(...not that they would have been justified in beating him if he had been the burglar.)

The officers were sued. I don't know if the matter is resolved. It  has been covered by the press.

BVan Nieuwenhoven
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This thing happens often

And it's illegal.

Christina, unfortunately you should have gotten a ticket for the original red light infraction. ::finger wag::

But there are not any other valid charges here, and you shouldn't have been arrested. I've seen this happen before. Police officers accost someone without identifying themselves, cause the person to react in panic, and then use that as grounds for a physically abusive pin-down and Resisting Arrest charges piled on top.

There's no justification for it at all. Police officers often add charges of Resisting Arrest in situations where they have not properly identified themselves (especially if they were undercover or approaching from behind) and the standard of the law is that you must have "knowingly and willingly" prevented a police officer (or similar authorized person) from executing their duties. It would be difficult to hold up the Resisting Arrest charge in court if you were accosted in a way that did not make it clear to you that an officer was approaching and arresting - you are not expected to submit to any attempt at assault from behind or from an unidentified person, surely. And if there isn't another violation for which there was probable cause for an arrest, the Resisting Arrest charge is invalid and you have had your civil rights violated by being arrested.

They wouldn't or couldn't do this to a motorist, I don't know why they did this here. If you're anything less than 6'2 and 225lbs, there is no way that the officers are going to be able to appear in court and justify their aggressive restraining techniques that were witnessed by a crowd full of people. 

This is just a really bad situation, and I'm sorry it happened to you. Good luck in getting it resolved.

NLiotta
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Know what your talking about

Get your ::finger wag:: out of here. She didn't run a red light, the cop doored her and she told him to watch it.

CLam
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Excessive Force (even if you ran a light)

I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m glad you have an attorney for legal advice, if you feel your rights were violated. Try all possible means to gather evidence and witnesses. Put up paper posts at the 4 corners where this happened, try even Craig’s list.

Your speed of travel on your bike could also come into play. Amsterdam near Modells is flat if not slightly upgrade when traveling north. A cyclists traveling at ~15 mph does not warrant one of those dangerous cut off moves from a police car/ or physical restrain. That would scare the shiit out of anybody. It is not possible a cyclist can lead the cops on a high-speed chase, regardless if they sounded a siren or not.

Good luck with your case.

bikelawyer
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cops & arrests

This was forwarded to me in Ohio by a friend who knows I do a lot of this stuff.  Good luck on pursuing the police.  I handled an excessive force case against two officers who Tasered a cyclist here in Ohio... the case was written up by Bob Mionske in Bicycling.  However, for a look at a "plain clothes" cop in action, check out the video shot in Maryland by a [an admittedly speeding] motorcyclist...

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/19/motorcyclist-arrested-for-recording-c...

Good Luck!!

Steve Magas

 

NLiotta
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DISCLAIMER

She didn't run a red light. A double parked undercover cop doored her and she told him to watch it. The cop didn't like being told what to do by an small woman so he chased after her in his car

BVan Nieuwenhoven
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Please keep in mind

This thread took place because there was an online eyewitness account saying some unidentified person seemed to have been arrested for running a red light. That's all the information we had.

Her story (with the almost-dooring and the non-red-light running) didn't come out until AFTER many of the comments here. (the dates on the posts back it up)

Check out the thread that Christina started the next day. That's where most of the commenting is now happening. 

Obviously, since Christina wasn't charged with running a red light, there's not really a debate about whether or not the cops were correct for charging her with running a red light. Just make sure the original eyewitness isn't still getting the story wrong, ok? ;)