It happened on Targee Street on Staten Island Tuesday morning when both Emzo and the cop tried to change lanes at the same time.
"The guy's using the f-word and then he showed me the finger, doing the whole thing, jumping and yelling and going crazy," Emzo Yildiz said.
Emzo insists the officer, Anthony Egan, never identified himself and that when Emzo gestured to ask him what he thought he was doing, Egan turned violent.
"He hit me, and as soon as I see his hand to my face and I feel pain in my forehead," Yilduz explained.
A spokesman for police insists that because Eemzo was coming at the officer in a threatening manner, the officer defended himself and that Eemzo did eventually throw a punch. The officer suffered a cut to the back of his head and an abrasion to his eye.
Emzo and a friend, who was two cars down at the time, tell a much different story. They say at least 10 other officers from Egan's precinct soon showed up, immediately arresting Emzo and protecting their friend.
"All of those guys -- none of 'em deserve to wear their badge, if they're gonna cover something like that up," Cliff Browning said.
Emzo says he was left bleeding at the 120th precinct for 2 hours before police even took him to the hospital. Then he was brought back to the precinct for another 30 hours.
This Turkish immigrant who just became a U.S. Citizen three weeks ago could face up to 7 years behind bars.
His lawyer is demanding a thorough investigation.
"Speak to all of the witnesses who saw this," attorney Marc Geisser said.
And he says take a long, hard look at his client's 2 black eyes.
