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Boston man recounts frightening fight with a man later tied to
Marathon bombing suspects
http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/05/22/frightening-fight-with-man-later-tied-boston-bombing-suspects/BQOYXDm4fpq8kUMgPMgX7L/story.html
05/22/2013 6:14 PM
By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff
Three years before he was shot and killed by an FBI agent at an
Orlando apartment while being questioned about the Boston Marathon
suspects and a triple murder in Waltham, Ibragim Todashev admitted to
instigating a brawl in Downtown Crossing, revealing a frightening
temper, according to court documents and the man he fought.
On a Thursday afternoon in February 2011, Many, a 28-year-old father
from Brighton, was riding with his son’s mother; his sister was behind
the wheel of the red Mazda. The three were driving through Downtown
Crossing, trying to get home to celebrate Many’s son’s seventh
birthday. As the car idled at a traffic light in front of Felt, a
nightclub on Washington Street, a gray food delivery van suddenly
pulled up close behind the Mazda, Many recalled in an interview
Wednesday. Many asked to be identified only by his nickname because he
wants to maintain his privacy.
Behind the wheel of the truck was a young, dark-haired man so eager to
squeeze past them in the tight right lane that he seemed to be trying
to pull the van up on the sidewalk.
Many’s sister honked her horn lightly, trying to get him to back off,
and drove ahead of the truck when the light turned green.
“He began to follow,” Many recalled. “He was honking the horn real
hard, holding down the horn. He was acting real aggressive. I was just
thinking, ‘What the hell is wrong with this guy?’ I thought he was on
something.”
Terrified, Many’s sister turned onto Tremont Street, trying to lose
the driver, who continued his pursuit. She began to turn left on Avery
Street, in front of AMC Loews Boston Common, when the van screeched
ahead of her from the right lane, trying to cut her off.
Instead, Many recalled, the driver hit a blue Pontiac, totaling the
car and damaging the front end of his own gray van.
Many said he got out the car to help the driver of the Pontiac, an
elderly man who looked shaken and scared.
The driver of the van, later identified as Todashev, got out of his
vehicle, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
“He starts blowing smoke in my face,” Many said. “He gets real close
to me. He swears and I swear back.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Many asked him.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” Todashev replied in a thick accent.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Many’s sister and his son’s mother pleaded with Many to back off.
“‘It’s your son’s birthday,’” his sister told him. “‘Don’t get in a
fight ... Let’s just wait for the police to get here.’”
Many said he tried to walk away, but Todashev yelled “[Expletive] you
and your son.”
Furious, Many yelled back, though he could not recall what he said.
According to the police report of the incident, Todashev said, “ ‘You
say something about my mother, I will kill you.’”
“I don’t’ remember saying something about his mother,” Many said. “To
be honest, I probably did.”
Then, Many said, Todashev rushed him and grabbed him by the shirt
collar. Afraid of what Todashev might do next, Many said he hit him.
Though Todashev, at 5 foot 10, was taller, Many said he was able to
subdue him, placing him in a chokehold as Todashev tried to kick him
and his sister wept, begging him to let him go.
“Don’t fight! Don’t fight!” she kept crying. His son’s mother also
wept, kicking at Todashev.
“I had to defend myself,” Many said.
When the police arrived, he said he finally let him go. Todashev kept
struggling as police tried to handcuff him.
Witnesses later told the officers that Todashev was the aggressor,
according to a Boston police report.
Todashev admitted to sufficient facts in November 2010 on charges of
disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and reckless driving. Admission
to sufficient facts is a plea that allows a defendant to avoid a
conviction while at the same time conceding there is enough evidence
for a guilty finding.
The resisting arrest charge was dismissed. The other two charges were
continued without a finding and dismissed after nine months.
Todashev’s lawyer at the time, Anthony Rossi, a Chelsea defense
attorney, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Many said he was shocked to learn the man he fought had ties to the
brothers accused of orchestrating the Boston Marathon bombings.
“I can’t believe that was him,” he said. “Is it really him?”
Many said he was also surprised to learn he subdued a man described as
having a martial arts background. Before Todashev moved to Florida, he
lived in the Boston area and was brought to an Allston gym where
Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, trained as a
boxer. Todashev was a mixed martial arts athlete.
“I’m guessing he wasn’t [a fighter at the time] because I don’t know
anything,” Many said. “I’ve never trained in my life.”
Maria Cramer can be reached at [email protected]
Marathon bombing suspects
http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/05/22/frightening-fight-with-man-later-tied-boston-bombing-suspects/BQOYXDm4fpq8kUMgPMgX7L/story.html
05/22/2013 6:14 PM
By Maria Cramer, Globe Staff
Three years before he was shot and killed by an FBI agent at an
Orlando apartment while being questioned about the Boston Marathon
suspects and a triple murder in Waltham, Ibragim Todashev admitted to
instigating a brawl in Downtown Crossing, revealing a frightening
temper, according to court documents and the man he fought.
On a Thursday afternoon in February 2011, Many, a 28-year-old father
from Brighton, was riding with his son’s mother; his sister was behind
the wheel of the red Mazda. The three were driving through Downtown
Crossing, trying to get home to celebrate Many’s son’s seventh
birthday. As the car idled at a traffic light in front of Felt, a
nightclub on Washington Street, a gray food delivery van suddenly
pulled up close behind the Mazda, Many recalled in an interview
Wednesday. Many asked to be identified only by his nickname because he
wants to maintain his privacy.
Behind the wheel of the truck was a young, dark-haired man so eager to
squeeze past them in the tight right lane that he seemed to be trying
to pull the van up on the sidewalk.
Many’s sister honked her horn lightly, trying to get him to back off,
and drove ahead of the truck when the light turned green.
“He began to follow,” Many recalled. “He was honking the horn real
hard, holding down the horn. He was acting real aggressive. I was just
thinking, ‘What the hell is wrong with this guy?’ I thought he was on
something.”
Terrified, Many’s sister turned onto Tremont Street, trying to lose
the driver, who continued his pursuit. She began to turn left on Avery
Street, in front of AMC Loews Boston Common, when the van screeched
ahead of her from the right lane, trying to cut her off.
Instead, Many recalled, the driver hit a blue Pontiac, totaling the
car and damaging the front end of his own gray van.
Many said he got out the car to help the driver of the Pontiac, an
elderly man who looked shaken and scared.
The driver of the van, later identified as Todashev, got out of his
vehicle, a cigarette dangling from his mouth.
“He starts blowing smoke in my face,” Many said. “He gets real close
to me. He swears and I swear back.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Many asked him.
“What the hell is wrong with me?” Todashev replied in a thick accent.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Many’s sister and his son’s mother pleaded with Many to back off.
“‘It’s your son’s birthday,’” his sister told him. “‘Don’t get in a
fight ... Let’s just wait for the police to get here.’”
Many said he tried to walk away, but Todashev yelled “[Expletive] you
and your son.”
Furious, Many yelled back, though he could not recall what he said.
According to the police report of the incident, Todashev said, “ ‘You
say something about my mother, I will kill you.’”
“I don’t’ remember saying something about his mother,” Many said. “To
be honest, I probably did.”
Then, Many said, Todashev rushed him and grabbed him by the shirt
collar. Afraid of what Todashev might do next, Many said he hit him.
Though Todashev, at 5 foot 10, was taller, Many said he was able to
subdue him, placing him in a chokehold as Todashev tried to kick him
and his sister wept, begging him to let him go.
“Don’t fight! Don’t fight!” she kept crying. His son’s mother also
wept, kicking at Todashev.
“I had to defend myself,” Many said.
When the police arrived, he said he finally let him go. Todashev kept
struggling as police tried to handcuff him.
Witnesses later told the officers that Todashev was the aggressor,
according to a Boston police report.
Todashev admitted to sufficient facts in November 2010 on charges of
disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and reckless driving. Admission
to sufficient facts is a plea that allows a defendant to avoid a
conviction while at the same time conceding there is enough evidence
for a guilty finding.
The resisting arrest charge was dismissed. The other two charges were
continued without a finding and dismissed after nine months.
Todashev’s lawyer at the time, Anthony Rossi, a Chelsea defense
attorney, could not immediately be reached for comment.
Many said he was shocked to learn the man he fought had ties to the
brothers accused of orchestrating the Boston Marathon bombings.
“I can’t believe that was him,” he said. “Is it really him?”
Many said he was also surprised to learn he subdued a man described as
having a martial arts background. Before Todashev moved to Florida, he
lived in the Boston area and was brought to an Allston gym where
Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, trained as a
boxer. Todashev was a mixed martial arts athlete.
“I’m guessing he wasn’t [a fighter at the time] because I don’t know
anything,” Many said. “I’ve never trained in my life.”
Maria Cramer can be reached at [email protected]