CLOSE
Police & Fire

by -
0 390

Botched burglary
A 30-year-old man from Bay Shore entered through the window of a second-floor apartment on Smith Road in Lake Grove at about 8:30 p.m. on March 26, police said. The man escaped the apartment without taking any items. When approached by police, he gave a fake name and date of birth. He was charged with second-degree burglary and false impersonation.

Hit-and-run
At the intersection of Route 25 and Edgewood Avenue in Smithtown on Jan. 12, a 25-year-old woman from Setauket was involved in a car crash just after 8 p.m., according to police. After the crash, she fled the scene without exchanging contact information with the other driver. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Reckless driver
At about 4 p.m. on March 25, a 41-year-old man from Brentwood driving a dump truck crossed the white pavement line on Terry Road in Nesconset, hitting a parked 2014 Dodge with the driver inside. No one was seriously injured. The man was charged with reckless driving.

Two guys, too much pot
A 21-year-old man from Northport and a 22-year-old man from Islip were seated in a parked vehicle on West Main Street in Kings Park at about 5:30 p.m. on March 26 when, police said, they discovered the pair was in possession of more than 25 grams of marijuana. They were charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Mind your own business
At about 10 p.m. on March 26, police said a 34-year-old man and a 37-year-old man both from Ronkonkoma shouted obscenities and threats at police officers and members of the Lakeland Fire Department near a home on West 3rd Street. They were arrested and charged with second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.

Saloon patron slugged
Just after midnight on March 19 at South Beach Saloon Inc. in Nesconset, a 23-year-old man from Ronkonkoma punched another man in the face, police said. He was charged with third-degree assault with the intent to cause physical injury.

iPod stolen and broken
On March 24, a 22-year-old man from Lake Ronkonkoma was found to be in possession of a stolen and damaged iPod on Ronkonkoma Avenue in Islip at about 12:30 p.m., police said. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and criminal mischief.

Stolen from Sears
At about 5 p.m. on March 24, a 41-year-old woman from Lake Ronkonkoma stole assorted electronics from Sears in the Smith Haven Mall, police said. She was later arrested in Brookhaven and charged with petit larceny.

Identity crisis
On March 24 at about 7:30 p.m., a 23-year-old woman from Patterson, N.J., was arrested in Commack for possessing a Pennsylvania driver’s license that did not belong to her, police said. She was charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Fence kicker on the loose
An unknown person kicked in the fence of a home on Morris Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma at about 3 a.m. on March 27, police said.

Damaged door
On Wheeler Road in Hauppauge at about 2:30 p.m. on March 27, an unknown person dented the driver’s side rear door of a 2000 Toyota, according to police.

You’ll shoot your eye out
Police said an unknown person damaged the screen of a window at a home on Barley Place in Commack at about 11:30 p.m. on March 26 with a BB gun.

Violent encounter
An unknown person approached a man at a Smithtown home just after midnight on March 26 carrying a handgun, police said. The man with the gun demanded money from the victim and then hit him in the head repeatedly with the gun, causing lacerations to the victim’s head, according to police. The man fled on foot.

Dave & busted window
An unknown person broke the driver’s side window of a 2006 Toyota parked at Dave & Buster’s in Islandia on March 24 at about 11:30 p.m., according to police. A wallet with credit cards was taken from the car.

Poor park job
At the Devonshire apartment complex in Hauppauge, an unknown person scratched the driver’s side front and rear doors and tailgate of a 2015 Dodge at about 10:30 a.m. on March 24, according to police.

Caught in a Benz bind
On March 22, an 18-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for criminal possession of stolen property, a 2012 Mercedes-Benz. Police pulled over and arrested the man around 4 p.m. on Route 112.

Catching some Zs
A 19-year-old Port Jefferson Station man was arrested on March 26 for driving while ability impaired, after allegdly being caught sleeping in the driver’s seat of his running 2016 Hyundai, which was blocking the intersection of Route 112 and Nesconset Highway. Police arrested the suspect at the scene, around 4:21 a.m.

License revoked
According to police, a Sound Beach woman was arrested on March 26 for petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Police said on Oct. 11, the 27-year-old woman had stolen jewelry and assorted merchandise from Kohl’s on Route 25A in Rocky Point. She was also using a Florida driver’s license that didn’t belong to her. Police arrested her at the 6th Precinct.

Busted
On March 23, a man from Centereach was arrested for criminal possession of marijuana. The 27-year-old was in his 2012 Mazda on the corner of Blydenburgh Road and Horseblock Road when police discovered him in possession.

Not-so-great escape
A 22-year-old woman was arrested on March 21 for petit larceny. The Yaphank woman allegedly had stolen someone’s phone on Middle Country Road in Centereach several days before.

Mad for meds
Police arrested a 30-year-old man from Rocky Point for two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance after discovering him in possession of two different prescription medications that he wasn’t prescribed. Police arrested him on Westchester Drive in Rocky Point on March 21.
Police said someone stole medication from a store on Route 25A in Miller Place. The incident happened on March 26 around 10:25 p.m.

Less-glamorous bank heist
On March 22 around 3:08 p.m., police arrested a 31-year-old man from West Babylon for grand larceny. According to police, the man stole money from the Capital One bank on Route 25A in Setauket after he deceived the teller. Police didn’t expand upon what the man did to acquire the money.

Breakin’ down the cars
Between March 25 at 9 p.m. and March 26 at 6:30 a.m. at Broadway, Port Jefferson Station, an unidentified person broke the front passenger window of a 2015 Ford pickup truck.

Boozing for bucks
According to police, someone entered the L.I. Pour House on Route 112 in Port Jefferson Station on March 23 at 2:30 a.m. and stole a metal box that contained cash.

Put ’em up
On March 26 around 3:47 a.m., an unknown person punched a man near the Junior’s Spycoast bar on Main Street in Port Jefferson.

‘The Wicker Man’ sequel
According to police, someone stole a wicker chair from the front yard of a residence on Broadway in Rocky Point. The incident happened on March 25 around 8 p.m.

Unlocked and loaded
Between March 21 at 6 p.m. and March 22 at 7 p.m., an unknown person entered an unlocked 2006 Nissan Altima and stole cash and several gift cards. Police said the incident happened at a residence on Oak Street in Centereach.

Noise turns dangerous
On March 26 at 10:20 p.m., a man left his residence on Newton Avenue in Selden to investigate a noise when an unknown person approached the man and threatened him. Police said the complainant was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital after the suspect cut the man in the stomach.

Backpacking thief
Someone broke into a 2015 Maserati parked near the AMC Loews theater on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook and stole backpacks and two passports. Police said the incident happened on March 24 around 9:03 p.m.

Hearthstone hit-and-run
On March 27 at about 8:30 p.m., a 46-year-old man from Dix Hills was driving a 2004 Mercedes on Vanderbilt Parkway near the intersection of Hearthstone Drive when he crashed on the side of the road and then fled the scene, police said. He was later arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Heroin bust
Police said a 38-year-old man from Huntington Station possessed heroin near the intersection of Cooper Avenue and Route 25 at about 10:30 p.m. on March 25. He was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

by -
0 516
File photo

Detectives are on the hunt for a pickup truck driver who left the scene of a crash in which a Northport woman was seriously injured on Wednesday afternoon.

The woman, 69-year-old Diana Carvelli, was driving a 2012 Jeep west on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station at about 4:30 p.m. when the pickup truck, which had been going east, collided with her near Depot Road, the Suffolk County Police Department said.

That pickup truck’s driver did not stop, instead fleeing the scene, going east on Jericho, police said.

After first being brought to Huntington Hospital, police said, Carvelli was transferred to North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset for treatment of a serious injury.

Police did not say what caused the crash, but said that 2nd Squad detectives believe the truck could have damage on its driver’s side, and the side mirror could be missing.

Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information about the incident is asked to call the squad at 631-854-8252, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

by -
0 2924
Sheldon Leftenant, the man who allegedly shot police officer Mark Collins, is escorted out of the 3rd Precinct on his way to arraignment in March. File photo by Barbara Donlon

The Huntington Station man convicted of attempted murder of a police officer was sentenced in Riverhead on Monday morning to 55 years to life in prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota said.

A jury convicted Sheldon Leftenant, 23, of attempted aggravated murder, second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and resisting arrest on Jan. 26. On Monday, a judge sentenced him to 40 years to life on the attempted murder charge and 15 years to life on the weapons charge.

Spota said he was pleased with the sentence for Leftenant, who authorities have said is a member of the “Tip Top Boyz” street gang.

Police officer Mark Collins speaks after the sentencing of the Huntington Station man who shot him twice. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Police officer Mark Collins speaks after the sentencing of the Huntington Station man who shot him twice. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

“I think the judge said it best, that this is a man who deserves absolutely no mercy,” he said. “He has no regard for human life. He certainly, on the evening of this occurrence, had no regard for the life of police officer [Mark] Collins and he deserved the maximum. I hope and I trust that he spends every single day of the remainder of his life in jail because that is where he belongs.”

Related: Leftenant pleads not guilty to attempted murder of police officer

Just before midnight on March 12, 2015, Collins, a 13-year veteran of the Suffolk County Police Department, pulled over a speeding car in which Leftenant was a passenger near Mercer Court in Huntington Station. Collins, a plainclothes member of the 2nd Precinct gang unit, ordered Leftenant to exit the vehicle before the suspect started running, forcing the officer to chase him. Collins deployed his Taser twice on Leftenant, hitting him in the back. As the officer tried to handcuff the man, unaware of his suspect’s weapon, there was a struggle and Leftenant shot Collins twice — once in the neck and once in the hip.

Leftenant fled and was soon apprehended.

Collins survived the gunshot wounds. From the courthouse, he reacted to the Huntington Station man’s sentencing.

“I’m just happy to be here and be back to work and live a healthy life again,” Collins said.

He thanked everyone from his fellow officers to the staff at Stony Brook University Hospital for their help and support.

“I still have some lingering side effects but I am not going to let them hold me back. I have a whole different outlook on life, and a lot of things mean a lot more to me these days and I am happy to be here.”

Sheldon Leftenant's wife Angelica said her husband is innocent after the sentencing on Monday. Photo by Victoria Espinoza
Sheldon Leftenant’s wife Angelica said her husband is innocent after the sentencing on Monday. Photo by Victoria Espinoza

He also said he was satisfied with Leftenant’s sentence.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Tim Sini said the case highlights the importance of the county supporting their law enforcement officials.

“Suffolk County will not stand for violence against our law enforcers,” he said after the sentencing. “It is that simple.”

Leftenant’s wife Angelica said she believes her husband did not have a fair chance in the case, saying that despite the verdict, he is not guilty.

“Sheldon Leftenant is innocent and we will prove that in an appeal,” she said. “Sheldon will be walking home on an appeal. I laughed [when I heard he was sentenced to 55 years] because he’s coming home. My husband will be walking home next to me. [The] case is going to be dropped.”

Robert Biancavilla, the deputy homicide bureau chief within the DA’s office, disagreed.

“Mr. Leftenant could not have been given a more fair trial in this case,” he said. “Everyone basically bent over backward to ensure that all of his rights were guarded and that he received a fair trial. The evidence against Mr. Leftenant was overwhelming and he to this day refused to acknowledge that or take responsibility for it.”

by -
0 1636
File photo

A young man who was stabbed inside a bar early on Saturday morning transported himself to the hospital, police said.

After an altercation in the bar — Finley’s, on Green Street at West Carver Street in downtown Huntington — the 22-year-old victim was stabbed at about 1 a.m., according to the Suffolk County Police Department. The man went to Huntington Hospital, where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was released.

Detectives from the SCPD’s 2nd Squad are still on the hunt for the stabbing suspect, who they described as a white male.

Anyone with information is asked to call the detectives at 631-854-8252, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

by -
0 1857
Jose Benitez mugshot from SCPD

A man who officers approached for drinking an open container of alcohol ended up being a pattern commercial burglar, the Suffolk County Police Department said.

Police allege Jose Benitez, 34, committed five burglaries in Huntington Station in late March, all of them on New York Avenue in the early hours of the morning.

The burglarized businesses include Best for Less, near East 13th Street, on March 17; Variedades Belen, near East 12th Street, between March 20 and March 21; Sunny’s Discount, near West 4th Street, on March 21; Checkers restaurant, at East 14th Street, on March 23; and Promesas Christian Book Store, at West 4th Street, on March 23.

Shortly after 5 a.m. on Thursday, 2nd Precinct patrolling officers Michael Buscarino and Vincent Dilluvio saw a man with an open alcohol container on New York Avenue near West Hills Road, police said, and the man gave them a false name. They brought him to the precinct and, after detectives further investigated, charged the Huntington Station resident with the five burglaries.

Benitez faces five counts of third-degree burglary and one count of false personation, and he was issued a summons for the open alcoholic beverage.

Attorney information for Benitez was not immediately available. According to the New York State court system’s online database, the suspect has a previous charge pending against him, for second-degree menacing with a weapon, and was listed as representing himself on that charge. Police held Benitez overnight, with his arraignment scheduled for Friday, and he could not be reached for comment.

by -
0 326

Jamaican me crazy, thief!
On March 19 at 5:20 p.m., police arrested a 38-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station for petit larceny. According to police, the man stole assorted tools from a store on Jamaica Avenue. He was arrested at his home.

More impaired drivers drive us crazy
A 40-year-old man was arrested on March 20 for driving while ability impaired. The Port Jefferson Station resident was driving a 2012 Mercedes when he crashed into another car on East Broadway in Port Jefferson. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene, at 1:59 a.m.
Police arrested a woman from Farmingville on March 18, for driving while ability impaired. According to police, the 24-year-old woman was driving a 2015 Jeep on Mariners Way in Port Jefferson when she ran through a stop sign. Police arrested her at 12:17 a.m.
On March 19 around 1:10 a.m., police arrested a 55-year-old man for driving while ability impaired. The Port Jefferson man was driving a 2010 Ford Explorer on Main Street in Setauket when he crashed into another car.
On March 17, police arrested a 41-year-old man for driving while ability impaired. Police said the man was driving a 2012 Volkswagen on Middle Country Road in Centereach when he failed to maintain his lane. Police pulled the man over and arrested him at the scene around 1:07 a.m.

Route to court
Police arrested a 19-year-old man from Medford for petit larceny on March 20. According to police, the man stole an iPhone from a residence near Route 25 in Selden. Police arrested him at the scene, around 12:50 a.m.

That’s not my name
A 43-year-old man from Rocky Point was arrested on March 16 for using a false instrument and intent to defraud. According to officials, the man filed for a new driver’s license while his original license was suspended. Police arrested the man at his residence around 5 p.m.

It didn’t give him wings
According to police, on March 20 around 12:48 p.m., someone stole a four-pack of Red Bull energy drink from a store on Nesconset Highway in Mount Sinai.

A cig-nature crime
On March 14 around 11 p.m., an unidentified person stole a pocketbook from a 1991 Toyota parked on Park Avenue in Centereach. Police said the thief used the victim’s credit card to buy cigarettes at a store.

You’ve been audited
Police said that on March 16 around noon, a woman on East End Road in Sound Beach received an IRS scam call. According to police, the woman gave the unidentified caller money.

Quit fencin’ around
Between midnight and 8 a.m. on March 20, someone damaged a fence at a residence on Kale Road in Rocky Point.

You don’t got mail
Between March 19 at 7:30 p.m. and March 20 around 1 p.m., someone damaged the mailbox of a residence on Dartmouth Road in East Shoreham. Police said the suspect broke the mailbox and ripped it off its wooden post.

Shop ‘til you drop
Someone stole various shirts and pants on March 15 from Bob’s Stores on College Road in Selden. Police said the incident happened around 5:15 p.m.

Gassing up
On March 15 around 4:25 a.m., an unidentified person broke a window to a gas station on Main Street in Setauket-East Setauket and stole cigarettes, cash and two cash registers.

Out of my way
According to police, two senior citizens in assisted living got into an altercation on March 19 around 8:15 a.m. Police said one citizen punched the other in the face because the individual was in their way. The incident happened on Sunrise Drive in Setauket-East Setauket. The victim didn’t press charges.

Suspended license driver stopped
A 25-year-old man from Smithtown was driving a 2000 Jeep on Amsterdam Road in Smithtown at about 5 p.m. on March 19 when he was pulled over by police. He was found to be driving with a suspended license, police said, and was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Merchandise goes missing
At Kohl’s in Lake Ronkonkoma, at about 10:30 p.m. on March 19, a 46-year-old woman from Fort Myers, Florida, stole shoes, jewelry and other items, police said. She was charged with petit larceny.

Watch out for watch thieves
On March 19 at about 8:30 p.m., a 25-year-old man from East Patchogue was arrested in Lake Grove for stealing watches from Macy’s at the Smith Haven Mall, police said. He was charged with petit larceny.

Thief thwarted
A 20-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested on March 18 for stealing money from a home on Stengel Place in Smithtown on Sept. 25, 2015, police said. He was charged with petit larceny.

Intentional car crash
At a home on Bridge Road in Smithtown, on Nov. 18, police said a 43-year-old man from East Patchogue intentionally drove a 1994 Honda into the bumper of another car and then left the scene of the crash. He was arrested on March 18 and charged with criminal mischief with the intent to damage property and leaving the scene with property damage.

Television taken
On March 18, a 20-year-old woman from Commack was arrested for stealing a television from a home on Fisher Road in Commack on March 7, police said. While being searched during the arrest, she was found to have a hypodermic needle and a controlled substance in her possession. She was charged with petit larceny, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Woman escapes police custody
A 21-year-old woman from Centereach was arrested in Smithtown on March 18, at about noon, on a bench warrant from another jurisdiction. While being transported, she escaped from the vehicle and fled to a nearby wooded area, police said. She was arrested again at about 1:30 p.m. and charged with escaping jail/custody.

Fake inspection
At the corner of Route 25 and Mayfair Terrace in Commack, at about 11 p.m. on March 18, police stopped a 20-year-old man from Central Islip driving a 2000 Honda Civic. According to police, his New York State inspection sticker was found to be fraudulent. He was arrested and charged with second-degree possession of a forged instrument.

Free beer and gift cards
On Nov. 9, 2015, a 31-year-old man from Smithtown used a debit card belonging to another person without permission on Route 25A in Kings Park to buy a gift card and beer, police said. He was arrested on March 17 and charged with fourth-degree grand larceny of a credit card.

Windshield cracked
Police said a 25-year-old man from Lake Grove intentionally broke the windshield of a 2008 Dodge on Route 25A in Shoreham at about 10:30 p.m. on March 2. On March 16, he was arrested and charged with criminal mischief with the intention of damaging property.

Excavator disappears
An unknown person stole an excavator from Grace LLC Industries on Route 347 in Smithtown at about 2:30 p.m. on March 18, police said.

Domestic items lifted
A Dyson vacuum cleaner, a blender and a quilt were stolen from Target on Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack at about 4 p.m. on March 13, police said.

Credit cards clipped from Chevy
At about 10 p.m. on March 18, an unknown person stole a wallet containing credit cards from an unlocked 2013 Chevy parked on the road outside of a home on Innis Avenue in Lake Ronkonkoma, police said.

Hit-and-run
A 51-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested on March 20 for leaving the scene of an accident at the corner of Woodbury Road and Route 108 in Huntington, police said. On March 6 at about 1 p.m., she rear-ended another car in her 2012 Jeep and then fled, according to police. She was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

Almost got away
On East Pulaski Road in Huntington at about 4 a.m. on March 18, a 22-year-old man from Huntington was pulled over for speeding in a 2016 Audi, police said. During the stop, police determined that he was intoxicated. While at the 2nd Precinct, he ran about 40 feet away from an officer trying to reach a door, but he was stopped, according to police. He was charged with third-degree escape and driving while intoxicated.

Heroin arrest
On March 17 at about 5 p.m., a 34-year-old woman from Huntington Station was arrested on the corner of Walt Whitman Road and Overhill Road in Huntington for possessing heroin and a hypodermic needle, police said. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Crooked man at Crooked Rail
Police were called to The Crooked Rail on Larkfield Road in East Northport at about 11 p.m. on March 19 to deal with a drunk and unruly customer. Emergency medical personnel were called to treat a 47-year-old man from Kings Park. The man spit at and bit officers while being moved on a gurney, then flailed and kicked an officer in the head and chest, according to police. One officer suffered a broken hand as a result of the incident. The man was charged with second-degree assault with the intent of causing injury to a police officer and second-degree obstruction of government administration.

Interlocked up
On the corner of Broadway and Pulaski Road in Greenlawn at about 8 a.m. on March 18, a 27-year-old man from Brentwood was driving a 2002 Honda when he was pulled over by police. He was found to be driving without a required interlock device and was charged with circumventing interlock operation without a device.

Law-canceling headphones
A 22-year-old man from Roosevelt and a 21-year-old man from Hempstead were arrested on March 20 at Target on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington at about 7 p.m. for stealing headphones, police said. The Roosevelt man was found to be in possession of two different stolen out-of-state license plates. He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny. The Hempstead man lied to police about his name when he was arrested. He was charged with petit larceny and second-degree criminal impersonation.

Unlicensed driver with drugs
Police pulled over a 22-year-old man from Huntington Station driving a 2011 Lexus on the corner of 11th Street and Lennox Road in Huntington Station at about 9 p.m. on March 20. He was found to be driving with a suspended license for the second time in about a month, police said. When searched, police found prescription drugs, marijuana and heroin in his possession. He was charged with two counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle.

Gas station theft
A 52-year-old man from East Northport stole items from U.S. Petroleum gas station on Larkfield Road in East Northport at about 4 p.m. on March 17, according to police. He was charged with petit larceny.

Park and ride predator
On March 19 at about 9 p.m., a 43-year-old man from Deer Park stole keys and a wallet containing credit cards and cash from a car parked on the corner of Commack Road and the Expressway’s North Service Road, police said. He was charged with third-degree robbery.

All taken vehicle
An unknown person stole an all terrain vehicle from the yard of a home on Fort Salonga Road in Centerport at about midnight on March 17, police said.

by -
0 427
Scott Coleman mugshot from SCPD

A man allegedly took pictures under a woman’s dress at the mall on Tuesday night and was arrested.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, the defendant approached a woman from behind at the Smith Haven Mall Macy’s around 8 p.m. and took photos under her dress without her knowing. Police said in a statement that the 23-year-old victim “became suspicious of the man’s presence behind her” and alerted security in the Lake Grove store, who in turn notified police.

After investigating and allegedly confirming that suspect Scott Coleman took photos of the woman without her consent, police arrested the 24-year-old Ronkonkoma man and charged him with second-degree unlawful surveillance.

Attorney information for Coleman was not immediately available on Wednesday.

Anyone with information about the incident or who believes they could be a victim of a similar crime is asked to call detectives at 631-854-8452.

by -
0 3530
Francis Barrios mugshot from SCPD

A registered sex offender pleaded guilty on Monday to raping a female taxi driver in December during a trip that started in Port Jefferson.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said on Tuesday that 34-year-old Francis Barrios, of Middle Island, pleaded guilty to first-degree rape.

When the incident first occurred, on Dec. 1, authorities said the driver had picked up Barrios at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital that evening. During the trip he beat and strangled her, causing the taxi to crash into a fence on Mount Sinai-Coram Road in Mount Sinai. Barrios, who police said was homeless, then sexually assaulted the victim.

According to the DA’s office, he pulled her into the back seat and raped her.

Officers responded to the crash scene after a passing motorist called 911, police said at the time.

Police did not release the name of the taxi company, to protect the identity of the victim.

The DA’s office said Barrios was previously convicted as a violent offender in Suffolk County for first-degree attempted rape, and violated his parole. He was expected to be sentenced to 24 years in prison and 20 years of post-release supervision on April 20.

On the New York State sex offender registry, Barrios is listed as a Level 3 sexually violent offender who has also gone by the last name Berrios. He was convicted in November 2004 in relation to an incident of sexual contact earlier that year involving a 12-year-old girl, who was described as a “non-stranger” to Barrios. He was sentenced to 42 months in state prison.

by -
0 3269
Christopher O'Brien mugshot from the DA's office

A Port Jefferson Station man pleaded not guilty on Monday to a slew of charges that include murder and driving drunk, three months after a wrong-way crash that killed another driver.

Authorities allege 54-year-old defendant Christopher O’Brien was impaired and driving an Audi A4 east in the westbound lanes of Sunrise Highway two days before Christmas when he hit a Toyota Corolla head-on in the left lane shortly after 5:30 a.m., killing driver Thomas D’Eletto, 57, of Aquebogue.

“At the scene, police observed that O’Brien was unsteady on his feet, had bloodshot, glassy eyes and was slurring his words, and he gave oral admissions to the police about drinking and driving,” Suffolk County District Attorney Tom Spota said in a statement.

Police at the crash scene, just east of Horseblock Road, charged the suspect with driving while intoxicated, the DA’s office said, and a blood test two hours after the crash showed a blood-alcohol content of 0.17 as well as cocaine.

While D’Eletto was pronounced dead at the scene, O’Brien was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Center in East Patchogue.

According to Spota, another driver allegedly saw the defendant drive into oncoming traffic three times about 20 minutes before the fatal crash, at a location north of the Long Island Expressway.

“Then on Sunrise Highway, several drivers reported to police they had to go onto the median or the shoulder of the road to avoid a collision with O’Brien,” Spota said.

The DA’s Office said O’Brien has been remanded to jail for the now numerous charges, from an indictment unsealed Monday, which include second-degree murder by depraved indifference; aggravated vehicular homicide; second-degree manslaughter; second-degree vehicular manslaughter; first-degree reckless endangerment; aggravated driving while intoxicated; driving while intoxicated; driving while impaired by a drug; driving while impaired by the combined influence of alcohol and a drug; and reckless driving.

O’Brien’s attorney, Hauppauge-based Scott Gross, called the crash a “significant tragedy” but maintained his client’s innocence.

“We’re going to evaluate the evidence,” he said in a phone interview Tuesday, “take a look at what the prosecution provides and then make our determination as to how to proceed from there.”

Gross added that the DA’s office had until recently pursued the case as a misdemeanor and said that would not have been true if it had a strong case.

“Their delay is indicative of provability issues,” the attorney said.

O’Brien is due back in court before State Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho on April 4.

by -
0 1423
File photo

The Suffolk County Police Department arrested the owner of a Stony Brook market over the weekend for allegedly having an employee younger than 18 years old sell alcohol to a minor, authorities said.

Cops combed through several North Shore businesses across East Setauket and Port Jefferson Saturday night before they collared Sein Sein Win, 49, of Stony Brook, who owns the University Asian Market at 1099 Rt. 25A in Stony Brook. Police said she employed a clerk who sold alcohol to a minor and issued her a field appearance ticket.

The business owner was scheduled to appear in court on May 12, authorities said.

Other establishments police inspected that were ultimately in compliance with the law included the BP gas station at 728 Rt. 25A in East Setauket; Shell gas station, located at 195 Route 25A, East Setauket; Port Jefferson Village Grocery, located at 328 Main St. Port Jefferson; 76 gas station, located at 200 Patchogue Rd. Port Jefferson;  Kool Mart, located at 600 Hallock Rd. Port Jefferson Station; Speedway gas station, located at 501 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station; Speedy Mart, located at 1034 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station and the Speedway gas station, located at 1445 Route 112, Port Jefferson Station.

Prev1...334335336...368Next Page 335 of 368
TBR News Media is your local news and entertainment website.
We provide you with the latest breaking news and information for your community.
Contact us: [email protected]

Most Viewed

©