Charles Puccio, 62 received a $2.25 million settlement from New York City. An NYPD detective grabbed his arm as he cycled past which caused Puccio to crash into a parked car and sustain injuries that required at least three surgeries. The detective who grabbed him denied under oath having physical contact with the cyclist, but crucial video evidence proved otherwise.
Video footage captured the 2014 incident, but the city did not obtain the footage until 2016 and did not release the footage to the plaintiff until 2017, the New York Post reports. This was likely due to an Internal Affairs Bureau (IAB) investigation into the detectives involved in the incident.
What happened the day of the incident?
The New York Post reports that two plainclothes detectives stopped their unmarked police car in the street in front of Puccio near East 102nd Street and Seaview Avenue in Canarsie, Brooklyn. The detective in the driver’s seat opened the door and reached out to grab Puccio as he rode past. Puccio alleges that the detectives failed to identify themselves.
Puccio proceeded to bobble and swerve to catch his balance. Out of the view of the camera, Puccio crashed into another parked car and injured his chin, foot, back and knee. It is unclear what motivated the detective to get out of his car and grab Puccio. He did not appear to pursue Puccio as he rode past.
Was there another reason for the delay?
The city Law Department caused a further delay in the case after failing to produce the IAB file during court proceedings. The contents of this file could have had a significant impact on the case and should have been included with the other evidence. This injustice contributed to the settlement.
Chopra & Nocerino secured this settlement for their client against one of the most respected law departments in the nation. They pursued this case over three years and their perseverance secured the critical video footage of the incident. This helped their client receive a just and fair settlement in the face of a potential attempt at a cover-up.
