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Man Charged After Crashing Into Cars, Assaulting Traffic Cop On Upper East Side

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police have identified the driver accused of damaging cars, hurting a pedestrian and assaulting a traffic cop on the Upper East Side Thursday.

Investigators said Cameron Coelho, of Connecticut, was driving erratically on Second Avenue near 72nd Street, weaving in and out of traffic and up onto the sidewalk.

The 27-year-old slammed into several cars, taking the bumper off of one, police said.

Witnesses said one block over, Coelho jumped out of his car and began beating a traffic cop until bystanders stepped in and pulled him off.

"It was really, really bad. It's a good thing there were no kids," said witness Boris Mashkabov.

Cellphone video shows Coelho laid out on the street with officers surrounding him.

The traffic cop is expected to be OK.

Coelho's crumpled car was towed away, while he was carted off in an ambulance.

He's charged with two counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident that caused an injury, and assault of a traffic agent, police said.

 

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