FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 26, 2019
Former Police Officer Sentenced to Jail and Probation
For Off-Duty Road Rage Assault
Struck Motorist with Pistol and Handcuffs, Causing Him to Receive Stitches; Fled the Scene
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a former New York City Police Officer has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and five years’ probation. He was convicted of assault, weapons possession, reckless driving and other charges for attacking a motorist on New Year’s Day 2018. The defendant was fired from the police department upon his conviction in March.
District Attorney Gonzalez said, “There is no place on the streets of Brooklyn for road rage. This defendant’s aggressive and violent behavior escalated to an assault – criminal conduct that was made worse by the fact that he was a police officer at the time. He has now been held accountable.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Michael Baror, 25, formerly of Transit District 32. He was sentenced today by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun to 60 days jail and five years’ probation over the objection of prosecutors, who asked that the defendant be sentenced to one year in jail. He must also pay a total of $450 in fines. The defendant was convicted of second-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, reckless driving, improper use of a siren and improper display of plates following a jury trial in March 2019.
The District Attorney said that, according to the evidence, on January 1, 2018, at approximately 10:30 p.m., at Avenue N and Bedford Avenue, the defendant was driving his personal vehicle, a Jeep Cherokee that was illegally equipped with lights and sirens. He was flashing his high beams at a car in front of him and rear-ended it. He then got out of the car, pulled out his pistol and pistol-whipped the other driver, a 29-year-old man. He also repeatedly struck the victim in the face with handcuffs before getting back in his vehicle and driving away.
The victim followed the defendant. The victim’s girlfriend, who was also in the vehicle, called 911 and remained on the phone during the chase. While the victim’s girlfriend was reporting the plate number to the 911 operator, the defendant concealed his license plate with an electronic device. Both vehicles were speeding and running red lights and the victim eventually crashed into the defendant’s vehicle. Police were at the scene within minutes, but the defendant had fled the scene. He did not report the incident to police or his supervisors. The defendant was arrested the following day and a search of his vehicle revealed that he removed the lights and sirens. The defendant, who is seen on surveillance video with a thick beard and hair on his head during the incident, had shaved his head and beard by the time police arrived to arrest him.
The victim sustained injuries to the mouth that required stitches, swelling and bruising about the face and head, a contusion to his head, a cut to the nose, and an injured shoulder.
The case was investigated by NYPD Sergeant John Pietanza of the Internal Affairs Bureau Group 34.
KCDA Paralegal Michael Chung assisted with the prosecution.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Kelli M. Muse, Chief of the District Attorney’s Hate Crimes Bureau (formerly of the Civil Rights Bureau) and Senior Assistant District Attorney Prabhalya Pulim, also of the Hate Crimes Bureau (formerly of the Civil Rights Bureau), under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Joseph P. Alexis, Chief of the District Attorney’s Trial Division.
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