NASSAU COUNTY, N.Y. (WKRC) – A devastating and violent incident unfolded on a Long Island highway Friday afternoon, culminating in the death of a young motorcyclist and the arrest of a 64-year-old retired man. The tragic episode has left a family in mourning and a community grappling with the consequences of what authorities are calling a deadly road rage encounter.

At approximately 2:14 p.m., police say 64-year-old Brian Noll of Scio, New York, intentionally swerved his 2022 Ford F-150 pickup truck into a 2016 Kawasaki motorcycle being ridden by 29-year-old Ibis Alex Baez of the Bronx. The impact reportedly pinned Baez against a metal guardrail, fatally injuring him at the scene. Emergency services were unable to save Baez, who was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

Noll was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. He appeared in court on Saturday and pleaded not guilty. The charges, if upheld, carry serious legal consequences, including the possibility of life in prison. Noll’s legal defense, however, is arguing the incident was not a crime but a tragic accident that spiraled out of control.

According to News12 Long Island, Noll’s attorney painted a very different picture from what prosecutors allege. The unnamed lawyer claimed that Baez was the aggressor, describing the victim as a reckless rider who allegedly attempted to damage Noll’s truck during a high-speed altercation.

“This was an unfortunate accident that was caused by a motorcyclist who was operating his motorcycle in the most reckless of ways,” the attorney said, contending that Baez became enraged over something Noll had done on the road. The lawyer claimed Baez “positioned his motorcycle alongside the truck and then took his hand off the throttle… to break off the mirror of the truck in a rage.” The defense argues this act caused both drivers to lose control of their vehicles, leading to the fatal crash.

The attorney emphasized Noll’s longstanding community ties and character, describing him as a “64-year-old grandfather” who had recently retired and relocated upstate after a lifetime of hard work, churchgoing, and quiet living on Long Island. “He was coming back to see some family when this motorcyclist was wreaking havoc on the roads,” the lawyer told News12.

While the defense seeks to cast Noll in a sympathetic light, the family of Ibis Alex Baez is mourning the sudden and violent loss of a man they describe in stark contrast to the defense’s portrayal. Baez’s brother-in-law, Goldwynn Redding, told The New York Post that Baez had “a gentle spirit” and was not the kind of person to engage in confrontational behavior. “He wouldn’t initiate any kind of confrontation with anybody,” Redding said, questioning the narrative being advanced by the accused’s legal team.

As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are reviewing nearby surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and gathering data to determine the precise sequence of events that led to the deadly crash. Nassau County police have not yet released the full details of their findings, but the second-degree murder charge suggests that investigators believe Noll acted with intent or depraved indifference.

The case has ignited debate and raised broader concerns about road rage and the consequences of aggressive driving. In a region as densely populated and trafficked as Long Island, tensions between drivers—particularly between cars and motorcycles—can sometimes escalate dangerously.

Whether this incident was indeed a tragic accident or a fatal act of road rage will ultimately be decided in court. For now, a family grieves a young life lost, and a retired man faces a legal battle that may determine the rest of his own.

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