The head of a Pennsylvania police department was caught on camera pulling a gun on an unsuspecting motorcyclist in a jarring instance of road rage.
Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher was off-duty on April 30 when he hopped out of an unmarked vehicle in plainclothes and violently confronted biker Benny Pena-Rivera, 24.
Pena-Rivera stopped his bike behind a Wingstop when the enraged police chief pulled up behind him in an unmarked department SUV.
The police chief, wearing grey shorts, a dark blue t-shirt and sneakers, then stepped out of his car and immediately wielded the deadly weapon.
‘All I heard was, “On the ground. On the ground, or I will shoot you.” If you’re a cop or something, you’re supposed to identify yourself and not come up the way you came up to me,’ Pena-Rivera told Local12.
Fisher rushed over to the helmet-wearing biker and shoved him into an electric panel. The officer allegedly kept his gun pointed at Pena-Rivera the whole time.
‘I’m telling him, “Don’t shoot me. What’s the reason you’re going to shoot me for?” Pena-Rivera recalled the horrifying moment he saw his life flash before his eyes.
The pair started wrestling and the baffled motorcyclist finally found a moment to sprint off to his house.
An off-duty Pennsylvania cop allegedly pulled a gun on an unsuspecting motorcyclist in a jarring instance of road rage, shocking video unveils (pictured)
Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher (pictured) has been placed on paid leave since the video has been released
Only then, according to the surveillance footage, did Fisher turn on his SUV’s police lights.
Pena-Rivera is particularly confused about why Fisher’s sirens were off, saying ‘he should have had his lights on instead of just withdrawing his gun the way he was doing it.’
The next day – before the troubling video was brought to light – Pena-Rivera was arrested while picking up cigarettes from a gas station.
Fisher claimed he noticed Pena-Rivera on an unregistered motorcycle, driving erratically.
According to his May 1 arrest record, he was hit with a slew of accusations related to the incident.
He was charged with one count each of aggravated assault, evading arrest or detention on foot, resisting arrest and DUS – DUI.
Pena-Rivera was also charged with five counts of summary vehicle code violations.
Fisher documented that he ‘was in an unmarked police vehicle and identified himself as Manheim Township Police,’ which contradicts Pena-Rivera’s statement.
Benny Pena-Rivera (pictured) is particularly confused about why Fisher’s sirens were off if he was trying to pull him over
Fisher pulled his gun on the blind-sided biker, who claims the cop’s sirens were off during the incident (pictured)
The police report alleges the biker refused orders to shut of his motorcycle’s engine and shoved Fisher before running off. He was taken into custody with bail set a $5,000.
Pena-Rivera pleaded guilty to traffic violation charges, but all the criminal offenses were dropped.
‘The Manheim Township Police Department and the parties agreed with the resolution of the charges in this manner based on the facts and circumstances of the case,’ Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams said in a May 14 statement.
The next day, Fisher was placed on paid leave and the department launched an internal investigation into the incident.
However, Adams announced her office will not be probing the altercation between Fisher and Pena-Rivera, claiming Fisher’s ‘actions did not rise to the level of a potential criminal act,’ in a Friday press release.
‘The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office does not investigate use of force or internal policy violations of police departments that do not rise to the level of a potential criminal act,’ she explained.
‘After a review of all reports in this matter, including relevant surveillance video, official police reports and the affidavit of probable cause, it is clear that Chief Fisher was acting in his capacity as a police officer trying to gain compliance of the driver to further investigate and not with any intent necessary to establish criminal conduct.’
Adams deferred to the police department to determine if Fisher’s actions where inappropriate or against policy.
Fisher (pictured) became Manheim Township’s chief in 2023 after moving from the Allegheny Township Police Department, where he also served as chief
The pair started wrestling (pictured) and the baffled motorcyclist finally found a moment to sprint off to his house
Pena-Rivera told Fox 43 he wants Fisher to own up to his actions.
‘If it wasn’t for that video, nobody would actually believe what I was saying because it was my word against his,’ he told the outlet.
Fisher became Manheim Township’s chief in 2023 after moving from the Allegheny Township Police Department, where he also served as chief.
