A bicyclist charged with hitting a Zipcar with a U-lock during a Critical Mass event last month pleaded not guilty in San Francisco Superior Court Monday morning.
San Francisco resident Ian Hespelt, 39, pleaded not guilty Monday to felony charges of assault, false imprisonment, vandalism and throwing dangerous objects at a vehicle.
Hespelt is out of custody and was ordered to return to court on Oct. 28 for a status hearing on his case.
Hespelt was arrested Sept. 5 in connection with the Aug. 28 incident, which was captured on video and posted to YouTube.
In the video, a confrontation develops between several bicyclists riding against traffic and a driver in a Zipcar in the Marina District during a Critical Mass event. As the driver tries to pull past the bicyclists, she is surrounded and yelled at, and then one bicyclist hits the side of the car with his bicycle lock as she drives away.
The Zipcar sustained about $1,400 in damage, according to prosecutors.
