Last year, an NYPD detective was captured on video berating and harassing an Uber driver who had the gall to point out the officer wasn't using his signals while attempting to park. That video racked up more than four million views, leaving driver Humayun Chaudry "humiliated"—and now he's suing the detective and the NYPD for the incident.
The incident took place around 2 p.m. on March 30th, 2015 near the West Side Highway. Chaudry, 33, was about to make a left when he came behind Detective Patrick Cherry in an unmarked car. Cherry was attempting to park without using his blinker or hazard light at a green light; Chaudry came up next to him and gestured for him to use his signal, then drove away.
Cherry then chased him down, pulled him over, and his passenger at the time captured the interaction below:
"When you're driving up my ass, when I'm trying to park the car, and then you have to do something with your hands," the officer yelled at the driver. "People are allowed to park their cars on the side of the street without your interference and then you're opinion about what's going on. Especially when the person you do it to are the police!"
Cherry then offered Chaudry a "lesson" on interacting with cops: "I got news for you and use this lesson, remember this in the future: don't ever do that again," Cherry said. "The only reason you're not in handcuffs going to jail and getting summonses in the precinct is because I have things to do, that's the only reason that's not happening, because this isn't important enough for me. You're not important enough."
Cherry was investigated by the Civilian Complaint Review Board, who revealed he had been the subject of a dozen prior complaints. Cherry later issued an apology on TV: “I apologize. I sincerely apologize," he said to NBC. "That’s not who I am, that’s not who I’ve been and that’s not how I conducted myself as an officer in New York City."
Chaudry says he's barely been able to work since the incident happened. It's unclear how much he is seeking in the lawsuit.
