LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A shocking new video shows the moments after a Lancaster County biker was pulled over following a traffic stop, and now the man involved is telling his side of the story.
The video shows Manheim Township Police Chief Duane Fisher, who is now on administrative leave, pulling his gun on the motorcyclist, 24-year-old Benny Peña-Rivera.
Peña-Rivera said he was on his way to work a shift at Wingstop on his day off when everything went down behind the restaurant chain.
He said he was lucky that a camera caught exactly what he said happened.
“If that video wouldn’t be there, I wouldn’t know what would have happened. I don’t think I would be even talking to you at this point,” said Peña-Rivera. “He didn’t have no lights, he didn’t have no badge, civil attire like just shorts, polo and regular shoes.”
He said he thought it was a road rage incident at first.
“All I hear is ‘on the ground, on the ground, or I will shoot you.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God! What’s going on?'”
“It was just absurd. I didn’t know how to react,” said Stephen Waters, Peña-Rivera’s manager, who witnessed what happened. “When I did question the cop, he did manage to put on his badge. He turned his lights on. And then he called [the traffic stop] in.”
The charges against Peña-Rivera for aggravated assault, resisting arrest and evading arrest were dropped on May 14.
However, before the release of the video, Manheim Township Police told a different story.
Police alleged Peña-Rivera repeatedly ignored orders to turn off his motorcycle and that he shoved the police chief before running away on April 30.
“It would have just taken a second for him to shoot. After that, he just tried to shove me off the bike and everything, and that’s why I tried to get out of the way so he doesn’t shoot,” said Peña-Rivera.
The incident continued the next day.
“The officers pulled up at his house. The next thing I know, he gets locked up,” Waters said.
Peña-Rivera said he’s still fighting the traffic violations that led to this whole thing as he’s been cited.
Manheim Township Police said they were in the area when they noticed the motorcycle without a PA plate.
Officials alleged that they then saw Peña-Rivera run a red light and illegally pass vehicles before driving onto the sidewalk without a turn signal.
“All they’re saying is pretty much false. I wasn’t weaving into vehicles or nothing,” said Peña-Rivera. “I need to get justice because of this. Because if this happened to me, I don’t even know how many people has been already on his hands and in the same situation or worst.”
Peña-Rivera said he is suspended from his job right now and is unable to support his family.
He does plan on filing a lawsuit.
The township said the chief is on paid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation. The township manager released the following statement:
Manheim Township has announced they will be conducting an internal investigation into the police incident that occurred Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in the area of Foxshire Plaza on Fruitville Pike, that involved Police Chief Duane Fisher. Pending the conclusion of this investigation, Chief Fisher has beManheim Township Police said they were in the area when they noticed the motorcycle without a PA plate.
Officials alleged that they then saw Peña-Rivera run a red light and illegally pass vehicles before driving onto the sidewalk without a turn signal.
“All they’re saying is pretty much false. I wasn’t weaving into vehicles or nothing,” said Peña-Rivera. “I need to get justice because of this. Because if this happened to me, I don’t even know how many people has been already on his hands and in the same situation or worst.”
Peña-Rivera said he is suspended from his job right now and is unable to support his family.
He does plan on filing a lawsuit.
The township said the chief is on paid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation. The township manager released the following statement:
Manheim Township has announced they will be conducting an internal investigation into the police incident that occurred Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in the area of Foxshire Plaza on Fruitville Pike, that involved Police Chief Duane Fisher. Pending the conclusion of this investigation, Chief Fisher has beManheim Township Police said they were in the area when they noticed the motorcycle without a PA plate.
Officials alleged that they then saw Peña-Rivera run a red light and illegally pass vehicles before driving onto the sidewalk without a turn signal.
“All they’re saying is pretty much false. I wasn’t weaving into vehicles or nothing,” said Peña-Rivera. “I need to get justice because of this. Because if this happened to me, I don’t even know how many people has been already on his hands and in the same situation or worst.”
Peña-Rivera said he is suspended from his job right now and is unable to support his family.
He does plan on filing a lawsuit.
The township said the chief is on paid administrative leave, pending an internal investigation. The township manager released the following statement:
Manheim Township has announced they will be conducting an internal investigation into the police incident that occurred Wednesday, April 30, 2025 in the area of Foxshire Plaza on Fruitville Pike, that involved Police Chief Duane Fisher. Pending the conclusion of this investigation, Chief Fisher has been placed on administrative leave.