Reckless ATV rider accused of intentionally striking NYPD deputy chief — & he was still freed without bail

A reckless ATV rider accused of intentionally slamming into an NYPD deputy chief could have been slapped with bail but was instead allowed to walk free — only more outrageous proof of the city’s “broken judicial system,’’ law enforcement sources raged to The Post on Monday.

Cristhian Seleita, 26, was part of a large group of riders on the motorized vehicles dangerously weaving in and out of traffic on the FDR Drive near East 90th Street in Manhattan at 9 p.m. Friday, police said.

That’s when more than 20 nearby cops on a general “quality of life initiative” spotted the bikers, followed them and shut down the FDR to try to contain the danger, sources said.

The scenario involved a key quality-of-life issue that Mayor Eric Adams has made a point of crowing about tackling — including in June, when he held a press conference with NYPD brass as a bulldozer crushed nearly 100 illegal dirt bikes and ATVs.

Some of Friday’s ATV riders, including Seleita, tried to drive back in the wrong direction to escape the cops, sources said. 

As he tried to flee, Seleita intentionally rammed into the high-ranking NYPD official — identified by police sources as Deputy Chief John Chell — causing the officer to fall to the ground, authorities said. The deputy chief injured his knees, hands and elbows, the sources said.

Seleita then got his ATV caught between two other vehicles, cops said. 

He did not comply with officers’ directions and resisted arrest, but police ultimately deployed a Taser and cuffed him, according to cops and police sources. 

He was hit with a laundry list of charges: assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of an accident with injury, obstruction of governmental administration, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, failure to obey a police officer and a violation of designated one-way road signs, the NYPD said. 

But when the suspect’s case reached Manhattan Criminal Court, he was only arraigned on the top assault charge, his criminal complaint shows. It wasn’t clear why.

Prosecutors asked that Seleita be held on $10,000 bail, given that the assault charge allowed the judge to set the restriction.

“Although [the] defendant has no criminal history, in this case he was in a large group of people illegally riding dirt bikes on the FDR,” prosecutors said in their bail application.

“When he saw that NYPD officers had stopped traffic, he turned around and fled the wrong way on the FDR, weaving in and out of lanes and ignoring repeated orders to stop.

“Defendant then intentionally ran down an NYPD deputy chief and struck him with his motorcycle, knocking the officer to the ground and causing injuries to his knees, hands, and elbows,” the bail application continued.

“Despite his lack of criminal history, [the] defendant’s conduct in this case demonstrates his unwillingness to be governed by court orders, and therefore monetary bail is the least restrictive measure to ensure his return to court.”

Judge Melissa Lewis, who was appointed to bench by former Mayor Bill de Blasio during his last week in office, instead granted Seleita just supervised release.

The suspect, who is from Ozone Park, has four prior sealed arrests, police sources said. It wasn’t clear what the arrests involved.

But an incensed cop told The Post, “Supervised release is a joke.

“So a cop gets intentionally run over addressing the No. 1 quality-of-life issue in this city, and the criminal walks. This is a broken judicial system.”

Another officer said he believes that Seleita “felt emboldened to strike a police officer without any fear of consequences.

“He knew nothing would happen to him,” the cop claimed.

Other sources were upset that prosecutors asked for only $10,000 bail and said it should’ve been higher because Seleita is accused of assaulting a police officer.

His next court date is scheduled Sept. 22.

During the Friday takedown, some other members of the ATV crew dropped their rides and fled, but one picked up his bike and escaped on foot, sources said. 

In total, eight illegal ATVs were recovered during the Friday takedown, the sources said. 

Since the middle of July, the NYPD has confiscated 1,400 ATVs citywide, according to the sources.