The 'Community' alum reported to police that he got hit in the shoulder by a truck driver who cut him off on N.Y.'s Tappan Zee Bridge, but the alleged attacker says he just acted in self-defense.
- Feb 23, 2018
AceShowbiz - Chevy Chase got attacked by a truck driver on an upstate highway. The 74-year-old actor told police that a truck cut him off when he was traveling over N.Y.'s Tappan Zee Bridge on February 9, and he thought the truck hit his car. He flashed his high beams and followed the other car until the driver pulled over.
According to police documents, after Chevy realized there was no damage to either vehicle, he approached the truck driver, a 22-year-old UPS worker from East Patchogue, to "speak to him about his reckless driving." The "National Lampoon's Vacation" star said there were three other people in the truck and one of them flipped him off.
An upset Chevy fired back, "If I were a lot younger I'd bust your nose," and then one of the passengers in the pickup got out and kicked him in the shoulder so hard he went to the ground. The attacker, Michael Landrio, has been cited for second degree harassment with physical contact.
In his defense, Michael said the actor threatened them and tried to throw a punch first. Detailing the incident to Page Six, he said in his parents' home in Suffolk County, "We were in the right lane and as we came up to the bridge we went to the middle lane. It was an old guy yelling - something we couldn't hear - super pissed-off. ... We just tried to get the heck away from him. He followed us the whole length of the bridge, driving crazy."
When they pulled over in South Nyack in Rockland County after crossing the span, Michael's friend opened his window and allegedly said, "I apologize, we were just trying to go upstate," and that Chevy's Mercedes blocked their vehicle. Chevy allegedly yelled back, "You know who the f**k I am?" He added that Chevy "started cursing at me for no reason and said, 'I am going to ruin your lives!' I said, 'F**k you!' "
Michael claimed Chevy opened their car door and yelled, "I'm going to punch you in the nose!" He additionally claimed the veteran actor came after him and tried to punch him in the face, but missed. At this point, Chevy was allegedly inside Michael's car attacking him. Michael said he then "kicked the out-of-control [Chevy], sending him flying out of the car, into his Mercedes and onto the ground."
"I closed my car door and locked it but he was still trying to get in at me when a nurse and an off-duty cop escorted him away," he added. "I didn't know who he was - I was just trying to defend myself. He was physically trying to harm me."
