A 58-year-old motorcyclist was surrounded, repeatedly stabbed in the back with a screwdriver, beaten by a mob, and robbed of his cellphone during a chaotic “rideout” that blocked traffic in broad daylight in Southington, Connecticut, authorities said.
Graphic video of the July 20 attack has now emerged, showing the terrifying moment the rider was forced to stop amid a large group of people on bicycles, e-bikes, and mopeds who had taken over the roadway near 503 Main Street in the Plantsville section of town.
In the footage, the victim, wearing a red shirt, can be seen on the ground as multiple masked and unmasked individuals swarm him. One person appears to use a screwdriver-like object while others kick and strike him. Bikes lie scattered, and voices can be heard shouting as the assault unfolds. A cellphone is visible on the pavement during the chaos. The video, provided anonymously and circulating widely, includes a warning that it depicts part of the assault and an object investigators described as a screwdriver.
Southington police responded around 2 p.m. after multiple 911 calls reported a large group obstructing traffic and creating disturbances. Officers then received reports that a motorcyclist was being attacked.
According to police, the 58-year-old man became surrounded by the group and was forced to stop in the roadway. His cell phone was stolen, and he was assaulted by multiple people. One of the attackers repeatedly stabbed him in the back with a screwdriver, Lt. Matthew Hammell said.
The victim was taken to an area hospital and treated for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Officers located and arrested 20-year-old Kevin Manuel Rodriguez of Waterbury and a 13-year-old juvenile from Cheshire in connection with the attack.
Rodriguez faces a raft of serious charges, including criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault, second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, second-degree riot, unlawful assembly, second-degree threatening, and second-degree breach of peace. He was held on a $500,000 cash/surety bond.
The juvenile faces charges including first-degree robbery, conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery, fourth-degree larceny, third-degree assault, second-degree riot, unlawful assembly, and breach of peace counts.
The incident is the latest example of so-called “rideouts” or street takeovers, large groups of riders who block roads, disrupt traffic, and sometimes turn violent, that have plagued communities across the country. Local residents and law enforcement have increasingly voiced frustration over these events, which often escalate from traffic obstruction into assaults and robberies in plain sight.
Police continue to investigate and are asking anyone with additional information or video to come forward. The victim’s full identity has not been publicly released.
