Imagine the horror a driver faced when he found himself being followed by a motorcyclist who had earlier shown him the middle finger for no apparent reason.
This is exactly the situation a Wheatfield driver faced in September 5 while travelling on the 190 near Porter Road. The 46-year-old realized he was being followed when he merged onto the LaSalle Expressway and the motorcyclist continued to pursue him till the end of the highway at the intersection of Williams and River roads.
Concerned by the rider hot on his heels, the driver decided to pull over into a parking lot.
This is when the other man got off his wheels and approached the driver. He then proceeded to tell him to get out of the car and an argument followed.
Following this, the motorcyclist took off his helmet and struck the victim in the head knocking him to the ground. Witnesses say the motorcyclist then kicked the driver to the point of unconsciousness.
Disappointingly, the perpetrator and this confrontation was Niagara Falls police officer James Conte who was off duty at the time.
The cop has since then been suspended without pay and charged with felony assault, which he has pleaded not guilty to.
However, this is not the first time he has been involved in an incident requiring disciplinary action.
According to sources, there are at least two other internal investigations that the police officer has had to face in his 20 year career with the department.
In 1997 Conte shot a dog; he was cleared of any wrongdoing later on.
In a separate incident that took place in 2001 he was accused of beating a woman following a road rage incident.
The woman, who wishes to be identified as Maggie, has now come forward with details of what happened.
She says she tried to warn the authorities of Conte’s disturbing behavior and now the news of his latest altercation reminds her of what happened more than a decade ago.
Nonetheless, she believes it was only a matter of time before the law caught up with him.
Fourteen years ago, she was walking along Ferry Avenue when her wallet was stolen and she called 911. Conte was the officer who responded to that call.
According to Maggie, in a twisted turn of events the policeman ended up arresting her. He says he was crude and called her names, not only this she suffered significant physical abuse.
After he took her to the police station, she says, he thumped her to the ground and beat her until she was out cold.
All this happened while she was still in handcuffs.
Maggie even now has photographs that were taken after the incident.
They show her covered in bruises.
Conte was cleared of the charges, but the upset woman decided to file a lawsuit. According to an attorney of the city of Niagara Falls, she was paid a settlement of $ 22,500 by the city.
In an interview Maggie says at the time she wondered how violent the cop would be 20 years down the road, considering he had brutally assaulted her just at the start of his career.
Watch the video below:
