Home Police & Fire

Victim attacked, thrown out of moving vehicle

by Elana Glowatz - May 27, 2016

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7-Eleven_Police_OldTown01_Melillow — File photo

A man was violently robbed and thrown out of a moving car earlier this month, and police have recently arrested three suspects in the case.

While at a bar on Hawkins Avenue in Ronkonkoma on May 6, three men allegedly offered a ride to the victim shortly before 4 a.m., the Suffolk County Police Department said.

They headed north into Lake Grove but during the ride, police said, the trio punched and choked the man, then stole his jewelry, wallet, cell phone and cash before throwing him out of the moving car.

The victim was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Stony Brook University Hospital, police said.

A few weeks later, detectives arrested three local men in connection with the crime, on three separate days: 36-year-old Jason Mikalauskas, of Lake Grove, on May 23; 21-year-old Michael Masterson, of Centereach, on May 24; and 23-year-old Dominic Dentici, of Ronkonkoma, on May 26.

All three were charged with second-degree robbery, and Mikalauskas is facing additional charges of fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was also arrested on an active warrant, police said.

Attorney information for Mikalauskas and Dentici was not available on the New York State court system’s online database. Masterson was listed as representing himself and could not be reached for comment.

Fire academy gets kids volunteering this summer

by Victoria Espinoza - May 26, 2016

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Junior-firefighters — Junior firefighters work a fire hose. File photo by Victoria Espinoza

By Victoria Espinoza

Stop drop and enroll in Dix Hills’ first-ever junior fire academy, a one-week summer program designed to introduce children between the ages of 12 and 14 to the volunteer fire service.

Commissioner Todd Cohen said the program will give kids an understanding of how the fire department works and what it means to be a volunteer there.

“Our academy will be tailored for the community,” he said in a statement. “We’re working hard to not only provide the kids with valuable knowledge and hands-on skills, but also to give them a fun week. This program gives youngsters a unique set of skills. There’s nothing else like it on Long Island — it’s truly one of a kind.”

Kids who attend the academy will learn fire safety, CPR, first aid, leadership and respect, as well as receive a Heartsaver certification card from the American Heart Association. There will also be limited hands-on training for hose-handling and rescue techniques. Kids will be taken on field trips to the Yaphank Fire Academy, the Suffolk County EMS call center, the Islip airport fire rescue department and more. Firefighters from the Dix Hills Fire Department will run the program.

Councilwoman Susan Berland (D), a Dix Hills resident, said she was excited to partner the town parks department with the fire department to launch the program.

“It’s a great opportunity for kids to learn all they can about the department,” she said. “It is our hope that this program will inspire students to join the fire department and instill in them a sense of volunteerism and responsibility. It promises to be a fun and rewarding experience for all involved. This is the first of its kind on Long Island.”

According to a press release, the idea began 15 years ago at the Cold Spring Fire Department in Putnam County. The academy grew immensely popular and, as a result, has been replicated throughout the country. Cohen and Todd Baker, a Dix Hills firefighter, are working with the originators of Cold Spring’s program to successfully duplicate it in Dix Hills.

The academy runs from Aug. 15 to 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Dix Hills Fire Department Headquarters at 115 East Deer Park Road. Registration opens on June 3.

Police blotter: Suffolk County incidents and arrests, May 18-22

by TBR Staff - May 26, 2016

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Son of a gun
A 56-year-old woman from Huntington was arrested on May 22 after police said he had an illegal hand gun in his possession while at his residence on Dunbarton Drive in Huntington. He was charged with criminal possession of a firearm.

Stop and Smoke
On May 21, a 46-year-old woman from Babylon was arrested after police said she was in possession of marijuana and cocaine while in the parking lot of Stop&Shop on East Jericho Turnpike in Huntington. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Drug bust
Police said 31-year-old woman from Bethpage had Suboxone, a prescription drug, while on Derby Avenue and Rockne Street in Huntington at 10:40 p.m. on May 21. She was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Being a pain with cocaine
On May 21, a 51-year-old man from East Northport was arrested on Veterans Memorial Highway in Smithtown after police said he had cocaine on him at 9:10 p.m. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell.

Tree on Maple Lane
A 35-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested on May 20 after police said he had marijuana in his possession on Maple Lane and Pinta Court in East Northport. He was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Down by the docks
A 20-year-old man and a 18-year-old man both from Huntington Station were arrested on May 20 after police said they damaged and stole from multiple boats docked in Huntington Harbor between May 17 and May 20. They were charged with second-degree criminal mischief, petit larceny and two charges of third-degree criminal mischief of property valuing more than $250.

Coffee rush
On May 19, a 31-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested after police said he stole two cappuccino machines valuing more than $7,000 from Bed Bath and Beyond on Walt Whitman Road in Huntington. He was charged with third-degree grand larceny.

The route of the problem
Police said a 28-year-old man from Orlando was smoking a marijuana cigarette while on Route 25 in Huntington Station on May 19. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Not walk in the park
A 40-year-old man from Wyandanch was arrested on May 18 after police said he had crack cocaine on him while on Park Avenue in Huntington. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Plants plucked
Police said an unknown person stole plants planted in the ground in the front yard of a residence on Leonard Drive in East Northport on May 21.

Not the key to success
An unknown person keyed a phrase onto the side passenger door of a 2003 Jaguar parked on Sandpiper Lane in Fort Salonga on May 22.

Too many cocktails
A 22-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested on May 21 after police pulled him over for running a red light while driving a 2013 Mitsubishi on Route 347 in Smithtown and said he was driving drunk. He was charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol and drugs.

Cocaine in Kings Park
On May 20, police on Indian Head Road in Kings Park arrested a 36-year-old man from Port Jefferson after they said he had cocaine in his possession. He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

That’s not what BMWs are for
Police said a 30-year-old man from Miller Place was deliberately using his 2015 BMW to block a tow truck from reaching two cars that crashed into each other on Smithtown Boulevard, and then started yelling at officers on May 20. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct with violent behavior.

On another planet
A 19-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested on May 19 at Richard Avenue and Express Drive North in Ronkonkoma after police said he had marijuana on him while inside a 1993 Mercury. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Making her blush
On May 18, a 21-year-old woman from Saint James was arrested after police said she stole cosmetics from Sephora at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove. She was charged with petit larceny.

That’s not my name
On May 18, Police arrested a 51-year-old woman from Commack after they said she filled out paperwork with someone else’s information at the Department of Motor Vehicles in Medford. She was charged with first-degree offering a false instrument for filing.

Heroin in a Honda
A 26-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested on May 18 after police said she had heroin on her while driving a 2004 Honda on Cheryl Drive in Ronkonkoma. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Not so fast
On May 18, a 42-year-old man from Kings Park was arrested after police said he rear-ended a 2015 Ford van on Route 110 while driving a 2004 Honda, and then fled the scene. He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Goodbye
Police said an unknown person stole a phone from a 2005 Honda Accord parked at the Stonebridge Golf Links & Country Club in Smithtown on May 21.

Slash and Dash
On May 21, an unknown person slashed two tires on a 2015 Hyundai parked in the Fairfield apartment complex in Commack.

Pool hoppers
Police said someone damaged the pool liner of a pool at a residence on Colgate Drive in St. James on May 21.

You’ve got no mail
On May 21, an unknown person stole a mailbox from a residence on Hoffman Lane in Hauppauge.

Lego my Legos
At Toys “R” Us on Middle Country Road in Lake Grove, an unknown person stole five Lego sets on May 19.

Hopeless house
A 75-year-old man from Mount Sinai entered Hope House Ministries on High Street in Port Jefferson on May 20 and remained there to sleep in the lobby, according to police. He was arrested and charged with third-degree criminal trespassing.

Did I hit something back there?
At about 5:30 p.m. on May 19, a 23-year-old man from East Patchogue driving a Lincoln Aviator on Route 25A in Mount Sinai collided with an unoccupied 2007 GMC parked near the intersection of Chestnut Street and fled the scene, police said. He was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an incident with property damage.

Pot possession
On May 18 at about 1 p.m., a 28-year-old man from Mount Sinai seated in the driver’s seat of a 1997 Nissan on North Ocean Avenue was found to have marijuana, according to police. He was arrested and charged with unlawful possession.

Not on probation anymore
A 42-year-old man from Selden was arrested near a home on the corner of College Road and Linden Street at about 2 a.m. on May 19 for violating the conditions of his probation, police said.

Go to sleep
Near the corner of Belford Lane and Stuyvesant Drive in Selden at about 3:30 a.m. on May 19, police said a 49-year-old man driving a 2001 Toyota was pulled over. He was arrested and charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle with a suspended license.

Pay your own bills
A 41-year-old man from East Islip paid three different bills, including a LIPA utility bill and an American Express credit card bill, using someone else’s stolen account information from his home on Sherry Street at about noon on Jan. 21, police said. He was arrested on May 18 in Selden and charged with two counts of first-degree identity theft and one count of second-degree identity theft.

Gadgets stolen from CVS
On April 8 at about 12:30 p.m., a 24-year-old woman from Medford stole a polarized digital camera and two Garmin GPS devices from CVS Pharmacy on Horseblock Road in Medford, according to police. She was arrested on May 18 in Selden and charged with petit larceny.

Stolen ATV recovered
A 16-year-old from Farmingville was found to possess a 2013 Honda all-terrain vehicle on April 25 that had previously been reported stolen, police said. He was arrested on May 18 and charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.

Dodge drives off
A 2000 Dodge Caravan containing assorted mechanic tools parked outside of a home on Flower Lane in Centereach was stolen at about 11 p.m. on May 20, according to police.

Mexican food munchies
On May 19 at about 4:30 p.m., two women from Selden, a 21-year-old seated in the driver’s seat and an 18-year-old seated in the passenger seat of a Ford Taurus parked outside Blue Tortilla Fresh Mexican Grille, possessed marijuana and a prescription drug, according to police. They were arrested and each charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Jewelry jacked
Someone stole jewelry from a home on Hawkins Road in Selden at about noon on April 30, police said. A police report was filed on May 21.

At least he smells good
A 63-year-old man from Port Jefferson stole 10 bottles of perfume from CVS Pharmacy on Main Street in Port Jefferson at about 1 p.m. on May 21, according to police. He was arrested on May 23 and charged with petit larceny.

Glass bottle breaks glass
Someone broke the rear window of a 2015 Jeep with a glass bottle at about 2 a.m. on May 18 while it was parked on Main Street in Port Jefferson, according to police.

House fire kills Centereach man
A 50-year-old man from Centereach was found dead in his home on Minerva Lane after neighbors called 911 when they heard an explosion and saw flames coming from the home at about 2:30 p.m. on May 18, police said. Suffolk County police homicide detectives and the arson section are investigating the incident, though the fire is not believed to be criminal in nature.

Man arrested after second dead body found

by Elana Glowatz - May 26, 2016

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Detectives have charged a man with first-degree manslaughter after his alleged victim was found unconscious and covered in blood.

The Suffolk County Police Department said early Thursday morning that 32-year-old Brentwood resident Samuel White was arrested for allegedly murdering Edwin Rivera, who was found lying on Clinton Avenue in Huntington the previous day.

A 911 caller had reported the body, and officers found the 39-year-old from Bay Shore on the ground next to his 2015 Mercedes. He was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital.

Police had said Wednesday that the death had been ruled criminal and detectives were waiting on an autopsy from the county medical examiner’s office to determine how he died.

No attorney information was available for the murder suspect, White, on the New York State court system’s online database.

Rivera’s was the second body found in the Huntington area this week. Just a few days earlier, officers had found the body of 33-year-old William Sarcenolima, of Huntington Station, partially in the roadway on West Hills Road. He too was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital and his body was transported to the medical examiner’s office for an autopsy. Police have not yet announced a cause of death, but said at the time the body was found that Sarcenolima may have been a victim of violence.

Anyone with information is asked to call Homicide Squad detectives at 631-852-6392 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Second dead body found in Huntington area

Police & Fire

by Victoria Espinoza - May 25, 2016

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Homicide Squad detectives are investigating the murder of a man who was found in Huntington early Wednesday morning.

Suffolk County Police Department 2nd Precinct officers responded to Clinton Avenue at 3:17 a.m. after a 911 caller reported that a man was unconscious and covered in blood. When officers arrived, they found Bay Shore resident Edwin Rivera, 39, lying on the ground next to his 2015 Mercedes.

Rivera was transported by Huntington Community First Aid Squad to Huntington Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His death has been ruled criminal and an autopsy will be performed by the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner to determine the cause.

Rivera’s is the second dead body found in Huntington this week. Early Sunday morning, May 22, officers found the body of 33-year-old William Sarcenolima, who lives in Huntington Station, partially in the roadway on West Hills Road in Huntington Station. Sarcenolima was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital. His body was then transported to the Suffolk County medical examiner’s office for an autopsy. Police have not yet announced a cause of death, but said at the time the body was found that Sarcenolima may have been a victim of violence.

Anyone with information is asked to call Homicide Squad detectives at 631-852-6392 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.

Piece of World Trade Center to be used in firefighters’ memorial

by Victoria Espinoza - May 25, 2016

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A piece of Tower 1 from the World Trade Center made its way to the Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department Wednesday to be used as a memorial for the community.

Thomas Buchta, a member of the department, said receiving the metal is important for many reasons.

Brothers Daniel and John Martin, of the Cold Spring Harbor Fire Department, lost their father, Peter C. Martin, a lieutenant in the Fire Department of New York’s Rescue 2 in Brooklyn, during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

“It’s significant for us and for the community to remember … what really took place that day and how many people sacrificed and are still to this day perishing because of illnesses that they received from the Trade Center,” he said. “It’s never-ending. [There are] so many to remember. We don’t ever want to forget what happened. We never want to see that happen again, so that’s why it’s important to remember what transpired that day so we keep vigilant and never let it happen again.”

Bob Thornton, another firefighter at Cold Spring Harbor, said the moment has been 14 years in the making.

“It all started back on 9/11, when we got the call to go in,” he said. “I was fortunate [enough] to be one of the 12 guys from our department that went in.”

Thornton said he and other firefighters were sent to Belmont Park to wait to go to Ground Zero, but after three days, they were discharged and sent home.

“It’s like the end of a dream,” he said of finally having the metal come to their community. “I’ve written letters for 14 years to try and get this metal. You kind of lose steam when nothing happens and the years roll by. Now we’re finally coming to fruition.”

Members of the department picked up the beam early Wednesday morning at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey storage facility, transported it to the North Shore along with units from the New York City Police Department, the Suffolk County Police Department and others.

The steel beam is 17 feet long and 4 feet wide and weighs about 18,000 pounds. According to the department, it is one of the last remaining pieces of steel available for use as a memorial.

SUV’s hit-and-run leaves man with head, internal injuries

by Elana Glowatz - May 24, 2016

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SCPD-Police-Car-phone-w — Suffolk County police car. File photo

A pedestrian was seriously hurt in a hit-and-run early Tuesday morning as he tried to cross New York Avenue.

The Suffolk County Police Department said a dark-colored SUV hit 41-year-old William Alvarez-Jovel as he was trying to cross the street, at the intersection with West Hills Road in Huntington Station, shortly before 2 a.m. He suffered serious head and internal injuries in the crash and was admitted to Huntington Hospital.

According to police, the vehicle fled the scene but could have been a 2003 to 2005 black Honda Pilot, and would have sustained front-end damage in the collision. It had fled north on New York Avenue.

Detectives from the SCPD’s 2nd Squad are investigating the crash and ask anyone with information to call them at 631-854-8252, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

This story was updated on May 27 to include new police information on the make and model of the car suspected to have been involved in the hit-and-run crash.

Sound Beach man arrested in drug bust

by Desirée Keegan - May 23, 2016

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Sound-Beach-drug-bustw — Drugs, cash and contraband were retrieved following the successful execution of a search warrant at a Sound Beach residence. Photo from SCPD

A local tip led to the arrest of a Sound Beach resident on drug charges.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini announced that an executed search warrant resulted in the recovery of drugs, cash and contraband, and the arrest of Robert Trent.

Trent, 25, who lives on North Country Road in Sound Beach, was charged with two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, third-degree criminal possession of marijuana and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Detectives from the 7th Precinct Special Operations Team, with help from the Emergency Service Section, Canine Section, 7th Precinct Crime Section and Asset Forfeiture, executed the search warrant and seized 100 grams of heroin, 210 grams of cocaine, 740 grams of MDMA, more than a kilogram of marijuana, a 9-mm weapon, ammunition, $26,000 in cash, scales, cell phones and other drug packaging paraphernalia.

Attorney information for Trent was not immediately available.

Since its inception on March 31, a new police tip line, 852-NARC, has received 415 tips and paid out six cash rewards. And since a new police drug-fighting initiative began on Dec. 15, focusing on executing search warrants, 89 have been executed, with 179 people arrested. More than $1 million in cash, more than $1 million in drugs and more than 50 weapons have been seized.

As a result of the latest drug bust, Sound Beach Civic Association President Bea Ruberto, who said a resident tip contributed to the bust, has announced a poster contest to encourage residents to continue to be the eyes and ears that will keep streets safe.

“The police can’t be everywhere, and if we want to make our streets safer, it’s important to do what we can,” she said in an email. “That’s why we currently have reached out to high school students to develop a See Something, Say Something poster.”

The winner(s) will receive a $100 savings bond and will be announced at the civic’s next meeting on June 13. The poster(s) will be displayed throughout the community.

Firefighters respond to Route 25A crash

by Victoria Espinoza - May 23, 2016

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Npt-fire-crash_01w — Firefighters surround the two cars involved in the crash Friday morning .Photo from John Mancino

Firefighters examine one of the two cars involved in the crash Friday morning .Photo from John Mancino — Firefighters examine one of the two cars involved in the crash Friday morning. Photo from John Mancino

On Friday, May 20, the Northport Fire Department responded to an early morning car crash at the intersection of Route 25A and Cherry Street in Northport.

An ambulance, a heavy rescue truck and one fire engine were at the scene. The police said three people were inside the two vehicles that had crashed, but no one was injured.

Emergency medical technicians examined the three people and all refused medical assistance.

Firefighters helped remove the damaged vehicles from blocking traffic on Route 25A.

Homicide detectives probe man’s death

by Elana Glowatz - May 23, 2016

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A man found dead and partially in a roadway early Sunday morning might have been the victim of violence, the Suffolk County Police Department said.

The body was found in that position on West Hills Road in Huntington Station at about 4 a.m. that day. Police responded to the scene, between 7th and 8th avenues.

Police said the victim, 33-year-old William Sarcenolima, who lives in Huntington Station, was pronounced dead at Huntington Hospital. His body was then transported to the Suffolk County medical examiner’s office.

An upcoming autopsy will determine how Sarcenolima died, police said, but detectives from the SCPD’s Homicide Squad are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

Anyone with information is asked to call the detectives at 631-852-6392, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

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