One of 11 bikers accused of brutally beating a Columbia grad in front of his wife and kids was sentenced Wednesday to 4 months in jail and 5 years probation.
Christopher Cruz copped to assault in the second degree and riot in the first degree in January as part of plea deal for his involvement in the attack on Alexian Lien in Washington Heights Sept. 29, 2013.
If convicted at trial, Cruz would have faced up to 6 years in prison. He was offered the deal because he played a minor role that didn’t involve touching the victim, authorities said
The biker gang, which included undercover cop Wojciech Braszczok, was captured on video chasing down the panicked father, yanking him from his SUV and viciously pummeling him.
Prosecutors had argued Cruz kicked off the incident by stopping his bike in front of Lien, but his lawyer Benjamin Perez says the video disproves that claim.
“He was eager to put this behind him,” the attorney said. “It was a tough decision.”
Two other defendants in the case took no-jail plea deals in January. Braszczok’s attorney stated in court Wednesday that his client planned to go to trial. The remaining defendants asked for more time to mull over the plea offers.