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Behrang Darian, 34, pleaded guilty to a third-degree charge of attempted aggravated assault, records show.
Darian said the crowd chased him from the ChoDae Church on Rockland Avenue in January 2014.
"I don't know why they were so angry," he told Daily Voice.
Police said the crowd was incensed because he punched a woman.
"I never punched a woman, nor hit a woman," Darian said. "The church provided video evidence."
He said he veered toward one of them in an attempt to escape, prompting accusations that he deliberately tried but failed to hit her.
"I was going like 2 miles an hour and there is video evidence to back up what I said," Darian said. "I did not try to scare them. In fact, I was scared."
An alarm was broadcast and Closter Police Sgt. Thomas Brueck stopped the car on Closter Dock Road.
He, along with Patrol Officers Chris Barbieri and Justin Krapels arrested Darian and turned him over to Norwood police.
Darian, who has previous simple assault arrests on his record, spent two days in the Bergen County Jail before being released on bail. He later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and received probation this past July.
MUGSHOT: Courtesy BERGEN COUNTY SHERIFF
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