NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Lien family, who was traveling in the SUV that ran over a motorcyclist on the Henry Hudson Parkway before a frightening chase and beating, released a statement through their lawyer Thursday morning.
The frightening incident was recorded on a helmet camera and went viral.
Here is the full text of the statement, which appears to have been written by Alexian Lien's wife:
" Our plan last Sunday was to celebrate our wedding anniversary by having a nice family day out with our two-year-old daughter. Unfortunately, instead, we were placed in grave danger by a mob of reckless and violent motorcyclists.
"Our sympathies go out to the injured motorcyclist and his family. However, we were faced with a life-threatening situation, and my husband was forced under the circumstances to take the actions that he did in order to protect the lives of our entire family. Our fear for our lives was confirmed when the incident ended with the ruthless and brutal attack on my husband, me, and, most importantly, our two-year-old child. We know in our hearts that we could not have done anything differently, and we believe that anyone faced with this sort of grave danger would have taken the same course of action in order to protect their family.
" We would like to thank the brave citizens who risked their own safety to intervene on our behalf. They truly helped save our lives and prevented my husband from suffering further injury. We also appreciate and are moved by the outpouring of love and support so many have expressed here in New York and around the country.
" We would ask that the public and the media to respect our privacy at this difficult time and allow my husband to recover from his injuries. From here on forward we would ask that any further inquiries regarding this unfortunate incident be directed to our lawyers Nicholas J. Massimo and Frank C. Panetta."
When I watched that video, I thought about what it would have been like if I'd been in that vehicle with my kids, and it made me feel sick to my stomach. I can't imagine how much they must have all been freaking out.
And the fact that the biker's family/friends set up a Facebook page to try to raise money for his healthcare is disgusting. They also said they wanted to keep the negativity off and only have the truth on there. Just because something is negative doesn't mean it's not true.
I've seen the wife of the hurt biker defending the whole group and another biker on CNN said the SUV driver was acting crazy. I can't believe they are actually publicly defending what happened.
I watched that helmet cam video and I could not imagine the mortal fear those people felt.
My DH said, "Every single one of thos mothereffers would be a smear on the road if they did that to me with my wife and child in the car" and I normally don't like statements like that, but in this case I agreed with him.
I would have sideswiped every single one of them without a moment's hesitatation in order to protect my family.
I watched that helmet cam video and I could not imagine the mortal fear those people felt.
My DH said, "Every single one of thos mothereffers would be a smear on the road if they did that to me with my wife and child in the car" and I normally don't like statements like that, but in this case I agreed with him.
I would have sideswiped every single one of them without a moment's hesitatation in order to protect my family.
I watched that helmet cam video and I could not imagine the mortal fear those people felt.
My DH said, "Every single one of thos mothereffers would be a smear on the road if they did that to me with my wife and child in the car" and I normally don't like statements like that, but in this case I agreed with him.
I would have sideswiped every single one of them without a moment's hesitatation in order to protect my family.
Every. Single. One.
And I hate that I could feel that vicious.
This exactly. I cannot imagine how they felt, the toddler especially.
Being a motorcycle "gang" and feeling you have power in numbers clearly doesn't work when you mess with people in an SUV. Bigger car will "win" every time.
I haven't read extensively on this story, but from what I understand of it - I don't know that I blame the SUV driver either. You're driving down the road and then swarmed by motorcyclists who start playing games? I'd be afraid too.
I wonder if the other bikers are going to be charged with anything. There has to be something illegal about swarming a car, blocking it, and participating/watching an assault.
I wonder if the other bikers are going to be charged with anything. There has to be something illegal about swarming a car, blocking it, and participating/watching an assault.
The NYPD is actively looking for the guy who smashed the driver's side window.
Many of the bikes had plates that weren't registered to the bikes, some didn't have plates at all....apparently, for some reason, there isn't much the police can do. I don't know why. They are ready to let the first guy off now because their case against the biker is weak. I don't know how, but that's what they are saying. It's scary to know that after this, shit like this can keep on happening and not much can be done about it.
I'm totally on the SUV's side. These bikers are also giving other bikers a bad name. Bikers like to ride in packs but only for the fun of it, not to harass people. It makes me sick that bikers were starting to have a good name then these assholes go and ruin it.
Post by Jalapeñomel on Oct 3, 2013 10:05:09 GMT -5
I couldn't watch the video, too terrifying.
I could not imagine going through this. I was attacked by my vehicle, and then had the driver follow me, ramming into the back of my car, and it was one of the most terrifying things I have ever experienced. I couldn't imagine how I would feel if a child was in the car with me.
Have you seen the other videos they had posted and then deleted?
They did the same thing to other cars, before the SUV incident.
I hate them all
this is what makes me pissed. They pull this shit over and over. Scare people, etc. Then one time someone "fights" back and one of their gets hurt and they try to cry foul.
How did this start? I can't watch videos on my phone, although I have seen partial video. It's hard to piece it all together.
From what I could tell on the full-length video, one of the bikers pulled in front of the SUV and brake-checked him. The SUV clipped his back tire and he lost control. Charges of TAILGATING SUV!!! when in actuality the biker came around him and cut him off, slowed down, looked back at the SUV and his tire and back at the SUV all the while he was slowing down... They stopped, bikers surrounded his SUV, he got scared (shitless, and I don't blame him AT ALL) and drove over some bikes (and bikers) and got the fuck out of Dodge - which is exactly what I would do. They swarmed and chased him down, beat the window open, pulled him out and beat the crap out of him.
It pisses me off that the police can't do anything because they're improperly licensed and they can't do anything while they're active because it would put more people in danger (is the supposed line). Do we all need to drive armored vehicles now? That pisses me off that we've devolved to this. Idiocracy.
The bikers now claiming that stuff happened prior to that footage is ridiculous to me. I can't fathom what they are going to assert the SUV driver did to warrant them surrounding him and threatening his family. I am firmly on the SUV family's side here.
The bikers now claiming that stuff happened prior to that footage is ridiculous to me. I can't fathom what they are going to assert the SUV driver did to warrant them surrounding him and threatening his family. I am firmly on the SUV family's side here.
This whole story sickens me. I cannot even fathom what my actions would have been if I had my child in the car when something like this happened. I'm so, so sad for their entire family.
How did this start? I can't watch videos on my phone, although I have seen partial video. It's hard to piece it all together.
From what I could tell on the full-length video, one of the bikers pulled in front of the SUV and brake-checked him. The SUV clipped his back tire and he lost control. Charges of TAILGATING SUV!!! when in actuality the biker came around him and cut him off, slowed down, looked back at the SUV and his tire and back at the SUV all the while he was slowing down... They stopped, bikers surrounded his SUV, he got scared (shitless, and I don't blame him AT ALL) and drove over some bikes (and bikers) and got the fuck out of Dodge - which is exactly what I would do. They swarmed and chased him down, beat the window open, pulled him out and beat the crap out of him.
It pisses me off that the police can't do anything because they're improperly licensed and they can't do anything while they're active because it would put more people in danger (is the supposed line). Do we all need to drive armored vehicles now? That pisses me off that we've devolved to this. Idiocracy.
JFC JFC I'd not heard this story up until this post and now I wish I still hadn't. But, thanks for the recap bc clearly from people's responses the SUV driver was not at fault but omg how incredibly scary. I don't blame the SUV family one bit. I think I would be scarred for life if I witnessed dh being pulled from the car and savagely beaten, nevermind if I were a toddler.
JFC I'm sick to my stomach now
How is the driver of SUV? Are his injuries life threatening? Wow
It was nice of her to say the motorcyclist has their sympathy. He wouldn't have mine if he was injured in the act of attacking my family.
I know, that was gracious. I think I'd still be a raving lunatic trying to beat motorcyclists with whatever I could find, I wouldn't be thinking of that guy in any way but is he down yet...
""It is an unfortunate situation on both sides," said Lexie Filpo, who said she was one of the bikers. "I knew that car seemed reckless from the beginning. From when he first jumped on the highway. When things happened people were telling him to stop, to slow down, and he never did."
Post by cinnamoncox on Oct 3, 2013 11:57:50 GMT -5
Holy shit I just watched the video
Is the motorcyclists wife on fuckin crack??? SHE is bitching about what the poor SUV driver did??? Certainly she has seen the video of what HER husband did, right?
What a useless twat I'm seriously getting all hetted up about this That poor family
Only, I don't know the time frame between the various times this poor family was chased, but why didn't the cops do anything about this? It wasn't exactly happening in the middle of nowhere. How did standers by help? The video conveniently stops recording when they start to savagely beat so I'm not clear as to how they got help but thank fuck that they did
And I was picturing like motorcycles like Harley's not those stupid honda things, to me they are like the little dick of motorcycles