GREENWICH VILLAGE — A late-night dispute on MacDougal Street resulted in the arrests of four people, police said, one of whom jumped on a lieutenant's back.
The incident began about 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 5, at the corner of MacDougal Street and Minetta Lane, when a 53-year-old man threatened another person, saying, "I am going to stab you" and "I am going to send you to the hospital," according to Officer Joseph Tennariello of the 6th Precinct.
Tennariello said in court documents that the man put his hands in his pocket as if he reaching for a weapon, and approached the other person.
A 27-year-old woman witnessed Tennariello arresting the man and began shouting "in an aggressive manner," Tennariello said in court documents.
"You're only arresting him because he's black," the woman, who was white, shouted as a crowd of more than 20 people gathered, Tennariello said.
“The crowd was also screaming and gathering around myself and other police officers,” Tennariello said in the court documents.
Then, as Tennariello was trying to drive the man to the 6th Precinct to be processed, a 29-year-old man threw his bicycle in front Tennariello's car, the officer said in court documents.
Lt. Ian Rule, also of the 6th Precinct, went to arrest that man, Tennariello said, but then the 27-year-old woman jumped on his back to stop him.
A sergeant had to pull the woman off of Rule's back, Tennariello said, so that the lieutenant could arrest the man with the bicycle.
The 53-year-old man pleaded guilty at his arraignment to menacing in the third degree, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to time served. His attorney did not immediately respond to an emailed inquiry.
No knife was recovered on him, according to court documents.
The bicyclist pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a violation, and was sentenced to two days of community service. It was not immediately possible to reach his attorney.
The woman was arraigned on charges of disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, and resisting arrest. A judge released her without bail, with an order to return to court on Jan. 28. The woman's lawyer did not immediately return a voicemail.
At some point in the melee, a 30-year-old man was arrested on charges of having a gravity knife out in plain view on the sidewalk, but was only issued a summons, police said.
