The electric unicycle rider claims he suffered a concussion after being bumped in the butt by a Port Authority officer while exiting the Holland Tunnel, according to the lawsuit.
Peter Piatetsky was riding a self-balancing electric unicycle into the tunnel from Canal Street when he got stuck in traffic.
Piatetsky, a 37-year-old Queens resident, realized his device's battery was dead and decided to turn around and return to New York City rather than be stranded, he said in a lawsuit in Manhattan federal court.
When Piatetsky emerged, Officer Anthony Camacho “lunged” and “rammed” him, knocking Piatetsky's $2,000 King Song KS-S18 into a concrete fence. He is said to have hit his head.
Piatetsky was falsely accused of punching Camacho in the hand during the Dec. 2, 2023 encounter, and was charged with resisting arrest, attempted assault, harassment, and trespassing.
At his arraignment the next morning, he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and was released.
Piatetsky said in court documents that there were no signs posted nearby prohibiting the use of electric unicycles in the tunnel.
Piatetsky said in legal filings that she suffered persistent headaches for several months afterwards. He also reported experiencing “brain fog, dizziness, and repeated vomiting” in addition to pain in his wrists and ankles.
It is seeking unspecified damages.
A police spokesperson for the Port Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Camacho, who was named the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association's Officer of the Month in July 2021 for his work in apprehending the shooting suspect, could not immediately be reached.
