By Gus Saltonstall
New information and photos were revealed over the weekend about what led to a police officer being hospitalized after getting struck by a moped driver Thursday on the Upper West Side.
The unnamed NYPD officer was trying to arrest a man on West 83rd Street and Riverside Drive for previously stealing a moped, police said on Sunday.
During the attempted apprehension, a second man intentionally struck the officer from behind with a moped, before fleeing northbound on Riverside Drive, while the initial suspect ran into Riverside Park, police said.
The officer was rushed to a local hospital with a broken right leg, police added.
NYPD also sent out a photo of both men wanted in connection to the incident.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
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Sorry that the officer had to get injured but hopefully this incident gives the NYPD the impetus to start taking the illegal, unlicensed, uninsured mopeds off the streets.
if this Mayor does not take motor bikes
off the street we will vote him OUT for note doing his job!!
With all the anti Police comments from the last article it really makes you wonder why anyone would want to be a Cop in this city. People blame the NYPD for the overwhelming feeling of lawlessness that permeates this neighborhood. The NYPD did not wake up 1 day and decide the heck with crime.
Over the past few years laws were changed in New York State and New York City which have an affect on Public Safety. As well as the Manhattan District Attorney and his public anonymously towards Law Enforcement.
Take some time to think about this brave Officer and his family, who’s lives are turned upside down .
The NYPD, and I’m sure the mayor approves, treats massive endangerment of pedestrians by e-sccoter/bike driver and many drivers of gasoline scooters as a quality of life issue.
This is a giant “screw pedestrians” from the NYPD. Their choice.
I agree. The vast majority of police officers are good people trying to do their best to keep us safe. Yes, there are some bad apples, but that will happen in any group. I wish the union did not fight so hard to stick up for those who clearly are the bad apples – they are entitled to due process but the union often goes overboard, losing credibility. But don’t throw out all of the good cops with the few bad ones.
That being said, they should be appreciated for doing a great job. They get treated like garbage by so many people. And every day it becomes more difficult and frustrating for them to do their jobs because they put themselves at risk to arrest people only to see them back on the streets with a slap on the wrist a moment later. So why bother trying?
Thank you to NYPD and thanks to WSR for the helpful update. Please keep us posted on this case and others.
Most of us know that being a police officer is a difficult, dangerous and all-too-often thankless job, and that our society would crumble without effective policing. We all hope for a full and speedy recovery for the officer that was injured in this incident, and for the swift apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators who harmed him. But that doesn’t mean that our police in general are immune from scrutiny or criticism. Police officers have to do their jobs without abusing their authority, using excessive force or violating either the U.S. or NYS Constitutions. To continually claim that policing is harmed either by public outcry over police misdeeds or legislation from Albany (especially when the legislation represents a societal consensus and/or mirrors legislation in other jurisdictions) is misguided, misleading and unhelpful. NYC police will improve their standing with the public by whining and complaining and making excuses considerably less and being significantly more responsive and listening far better to what the public has been saying instead.
Another scooter, another thief. The association is tight.
Looks like the perp is riding his motorized vehicle on the sidewalk. Against the law. Looks to me like he is over the age of 12. Against the law as well. Hit and run. Against the law. Laws matter and need to be enforced.
The mopeds do not have to be licensed. The Cops can not take bikes off the street that are violating laws that don’t exist. Complain to your lawmakers.
There is a sector B (70 – 79th Street) Build the Block meeting Wednesday, December 6 at 6:pm at Hamilton House 141 West 73rd Street you can speak to the 20th Precinct Neighborhood Coordination Officers about your dissatisfaction
There’s so much conflicting info in this forum (regarding motorized vehicles) that when someone posted in the previous thread that mopeds need to be licensed I looked it up. The DMV site shows that they have to be registered. What am I missing?
https://dmv.ny.gov/registration/register-moped
Are there any special requirements to operate a limited use motorcycle (moped) in New York? The requirements to operate a moped are like those for motorcycles. You must have a driver license and register your moped to drive it on streets and highways.
Seriously people. Did anyone read this update? This has nothing to do with whether the police are enforcing laws about mopeds rising on sidewalks, or even what the laws are about having a moped. The officer was doing his job by arresting a thief who stole someone else’s moped. Another guy ran the officer over INTENTIONALLY so that his buddy could get away.
Stop twisting everything to your own agendas.
Can we please say Thank You to this cop who was injured in the line of duty? Thankfully this guy didn’t have a gun and open fire. Wishing him a speedy recovery!