Easthampton man faces charges in alleged bike theft

By Owen Boss

Staff Writer

NORTHAMPTON - A local man charged with beating and threatening to kill a cyclist on an Easthampton street before stealing his bike denied his involvement in court Wednesday.

Jonathan P. Ortiz, 20, of 15 Arlington St. in Easthampton, pleaded innocent in Northampton District Court to charges of unarmed robbery and assault and battery.

According to police, at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, officer Nicholas Weidhass responded to Grove Street for a report that a man had just been beaten and his bicycle stolen.

The alleged victim told police that he was riding down Cottage Street when Ortiz began following him in a gray Jeep Cherokee and gestured to him. After following him to Williston Avenue, according to police reports, Ortiz pulled over and began punching the victim in the face and tried to put his mountain bike into the back of his vehicle, according to court documents.

After wrestling the bike away from Ortiz, the cyclist told police he tried to flee the area but couldn't because the gears had been damaged. Ortiz pushed him off the bike and told him, "If you ride away I'm going to break your neck and kill you," according to a police report.

A witness to the alleged attack told police he saw Ortiz striking the cyclist before loading a mountain bike into the back of his car and driving away, according to court documents.

After police began questioning Ortiz about the incident at his home, the cyclist was called in and identified Ortiz as the man who took his bike, according to police.

Judge W. Michael Goggins ordered Ortiz released on his own recognizance on the condition that he stay away from and have no contact with the victim. He is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing Dec. 11.

Owen Boss can be reached at oboss@gazettnet.com.