Man accused of threatening cousin with pipe bomb during car ride in NYC

EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (PIX11) — A man is accused of threatening his cousin with a pipe bomb and whacking him in the head with a 16-inch machete during a car ride in Manhattan over the summer, authorities said.

Chontrell Wrenick , 50, was indicted Wednesday on assault and weapons charges in connection to the July 24 incident, prosecutors said.

Wrenick allegedly pulled the pipe bomb out of a tote bag and threatened to blow up the car while his cousin was driving southbound on Lexington Avenue at around 11:30 a.m., according to court documents.

The suspect then allegedly grabbed his cousin by the shirt collar, whipped out a long machete from the same tote bag, and hit the victim in the back of the head, authorities said.

Wrenick’s cousin kept driving until he parked in front of the 25th Precinct in East Harlem at around 12:10 p.m. and told officers what happened. Cops found the pipe bomb, the machete, and a knife in the backseat, according to court records. Wrenick was arrested at the scene.

The NYPD Bomb Squad responded to the scene and removed the suspicious device around 3 p.m., per police.

“The explosive device posed a significant threat to the lives of innocent Manhattanites, and I am grateful law enforcement was able to intervene and safely recover the device. I wish the victim a speedy recovery,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.

Wrenick pled not guilty to the charges during his arraignment Wednesday, according to court records. His attorney could not immediately be reached.

Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.

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