Legendary funny man Chevy Chase alleges he was assaulted earlier this month in an incident of road rage in which he ended up on the ground during the resulting tussle. According to a police report dated February 9, the incident happened on Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge in New York when the driver of a black pickup truck cut Chase off in traffic. The comedic icon explained to police that he had thought the other driver had hit his car and he wanted them to stop. He proceeded to follow the truck, flashing his headlights at the pickup’s driver until it finally pulled over.
Even though seventy-four year old Chase realized there wasn’t any damage to his vehicle or the black pickup truck in question, he said he wanted to give the driver some advice about driving so recklessly and that’s when things began to escalate. While doing so, Chase told police that one of the two passengers who were in the car decided to flip him off. Apparently this didn’t go over too well with Chase, because according to the report, he told the finger flipper that if he was younger, he would have busted his nose for flipping him off.
The passenger who flipped Chase off then got out of the truck, kicking the aging comedian in the shoulder and knocking him on the ground. The driver of the black pickup told police that his friend was trying to block a punch thrown by Chase who had swung first. However, the kicker was given a citation for second degree harassment with physical contact due to the fact there was a witness to the incident according to police.
Twenty-two year old Michael Landrio, who was the one who kicked Chase, said he believed Chase deserved to be kicked, according to a reporter from The New York Post. Landrio claims that his friend, the driver of the pickup truck, tried apologizing to Chase as he approached their truck. Nonetheless, Landrio said instead of accepting the apology, Chase began screaming, ”Do you know who the f_ I am?”
Chase then continued cussing for no further reason, according to Landrio, saying that the angry comedian told them that he was going to ruin their lives. Landrio told the Post reporter that he responded to that by telling Chase, ”F_ you!” According to the report, Chase then yanked opened the door of the truck, yelling that he was going to punch Landrio in the nose. Landrio claims that Chase came after him with his hands all in his face and that he told Chase to get the f_ away from him.
It was then that Landrio claims Chase tried punching him only to miss. Landrio said that’s when he kicked Chase and the actor fell to the ground. Landrio says that he closed his door, locking it, because Chase was still trying to get at him. It was then that an off-duty police officer and a nurse escorted the irate comedian away. Landrio says that he had no idea who [Chase] was, that he was just trying to defend himself. He went on to say that Chase was physically trying to harm him.
Landrio said the police officer told him at the scene that the man was Chevy Chase, but that he still didn’t know who he was until he Googled him because he didn’t believe he looked like he did when he made most of his movies. Landrio also told the Post reporter that he is interested in a career in law enforcement.
Chase, who is famous for his stint on Saturday Night Live, as well as the National Lampoon franchise, Caddyshack, and other slapstick comedies, will be seen in the upcoming Netflix movie The Last Laugh, also featuring Richard Dreyfuss. The last time Chase appeared on TV was in an episode of Hot in Cleveland.
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