A dangerous fight that escalated from words to weapons broke out on an Upper West Side sidewalk in New York City on Wednesday morning, July 19. Video recorded by a witness captured the incident, which broke out between two men from the Bronx as commuters passed by on their way to work.
40-year-old Lewis Roman was arrested and charged with assault, criminal mischief, menacing and criminal possession of a weapon, as a result of the bloody clash. To his misfortune, Roman appeared to get the more brutal end of the confrontation, as the recording shows blood stains down his shirt as well as what appeared to be blood coming from his head from a garbage can his unnamed counterpart threw at him. Roman had been stalking the man with a machete but lost it when it flew out of his hand while he was attempting to hit the man with it.
While the cause of the fight is unknown, it is reported that it transitioned to violence after Roman threatened that he had a gun. At some point, Roman drew his machete while his counterpart picked up a trash can and hurled it at his car, the witness who filmed the incident told police. That's when the two men went back and forth attempting to position themselves to strike. After Roman had lost a hold of his blade and the man across from him ditched the garbage can, Roman attempted to get in his car and drive away but was pulled out and a fist fight ensued. The whole time a woman who was in the car with Roman stood by attempting to discourage their continual pursuit of one another.
Roman would be flagged down by authorities a short distance away from the Broadway and W. 94th street corner where the action went down. The other man in the fight was treated at St. Luke's Hospital for noncritical injuries.
