Police & Fire

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Emergency responders in Smithtown help retrieve a mud-covered vehicle from the pond off Route 25A near Summerset Drive. Photo from Jeff Bressler

Members of the Kings Park and Smithtown fire departments had to pull a woman in her 20s from a pond in Smithtown this week after her car became submerged off Route 25A, emergency officials said.

Emergency responders in Smithtown help retrieve a vehicle from the pond off Route 25A near Summerset Drive. Photo from Jeff Bressler
Emergency responders in Smithtown help retrieve a vehicle from the pond off Route 25A near Summerset Drive. Photo from Jeff Bressler

The woman was driving on near the intersection of Route 25A and Summerset Drive in Smithtown around 8:52 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5, when the Smithtown Fire Department was dispatched to address a motor vehicle crash, a spokesman for the department said. Upon arrival, Smithtown Department Chief Timothy Murphy said he saw the vehicle in the nearby pond with the woman trapped inside. He immediately upgraded the call to a water rescue.

The action prompted assistance from Smithtown’s rescue unit as well as the Kings Park Fire Department’s dive team, a spokesman for Smithtown’s Fire Department said.

The Smithtown Fire Department deployed their water rescue inflatable boat into the pond with Kings Park Fire Department divers attending to the driver. Divers extricated the driver to the boat and did not find any additional passengers in her car.

The driver was taken to to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center by Kings Park Ambulance. There were no updates on her condition.

And to make matters more complicated, during the rescue efforts, with Route 25A closed to conduct the operation, an emergency patient in a private car was attempting to access the road to go to the emergency room at St. Catherine of Siena. Smithtown Fire Police sent the driver of the car, escorted by Suffolk County Police, to the scene of the accident. A Smithtown Fire Department ambulance at the scene then brought the patient to the hospital.

The cause of the incident was under investigation, the Suffolk County Police Department said, and the woman behind the wheel was not charged.

Robert Cariddi, of Mount Sinai, was arrested yesterday for burglarizing 16 businesses between August and October. Photo from the Suffolk County Police Department

Police arrested a Mount Sinai man Monday for allegedly burglarizing 16 Asian restaurants and nail salons over the last couple of months in Centereach, Selden, Setauket, Miller Place, Rocky Point, Sound Beach, Patchogue, Bohemia and Middle Island.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, 6th Squad detectives, after noting a pattern of burglaries in which someone broke the front windows at the restaurants and nail salons and took cash, began patrolling potential targets similar to the burglarized businesses. On Monday, Detective Michael Fales allegedly observed suspect Robert Cariddi commit a burglary at Ho Ming Kitchen, on Route 25A in Miller Place.

Cariddi, a 49-year-old Mount Sinai resident, was arrested shortly afterward. He was charged with 16 counts of third-degree burglary and with false personation, and was scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday.

Attorney information for the suspect was not immediately available.

According to police, Cariddi allegedly targeted the businesses because they did not have alarms or surveillance systems.

Detectives are investigating whether Cariddi was responsible for other burglaries. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 631-854-8652, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

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A hockey player was revived from a cardiac arrest on Monday after an off-duty police officer and good Samaritans stepped in.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, the 49-year-old victim went into cardiac arrest and collapsed while playing hockey at the Sports Arena on Middle Country Road in St. James shortly after midnight. The off-duty cop, Steven Turner, who was also playing hockey and works in the SCPD’s Highway Patrol, and several others performed CPR and administered two shocks from the facility’s defibrillator. The collapsed man regained a pulse and started to breathe on his own again following the shocks.

Police said the rescued man was in stable condition at Stony Brook University Hospital.

File photo

Police are investigating a man’s death after an incident at a bar on Saturday night.

The Suffolk County Police Department said 7th Precinct officers responded to the Rocky Point Ale House on Broadway at about 10 p.m. that night after a 911 call regarding a disturbance there. The officers found a 42-year-old man, Michael Murphy, experiencing a medical event at the location.

Murphy, a Rocky Point resident, was pronounced dead at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson at 11:24 p.m., police said.

It was unclear whether Murphy’s medical event was linked to the reported disturbance at the bar.

Detectives from the SCPD’s Homicide Squad are investigating the incident.

File photo

A Sound Beach man was killed on his own street on Saturday, after his pickup truck left the roadway and crashed.

The Suffolk County Police Department said 49-year-old Richard Cambria was driving his 2011 Dodge south on Islip Drive shortly before noon that day. He left the street and hit a telephone pole, then struck a retaining wall.

Cambria was pronounced dead at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson, police said. There were no other cars involved in the crash.

Police impounded the pickup truck for a safety check.

Detectives from the SCPD’s 7th Squad are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 631-852-8752.

Alexander Thomas mugshot from SCPD

A hospitalized suspect facing criminal possession and harassment charges allegedly attacked a cop and fled police custody on Friday afternoon, remaining on the lam for an hour before a canine officer found him.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, 1st Precinct officers had used a Taser while arresting suspect Alexander Thomas in North Amityville the previous night on several charges, including criminal possession of a loaded weapon, harassment, resisting arrest and criminal possession of stolen property. Officers brought Thomas, a 25-year-old Huntington resident, to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip for treatment, at which point the suspect complained of chest pains.

At noon on Friday, police said, Thomas assaulted an officer at the hospital and fled on foot, before a Canine Unit officer and his dog found the defendant an hour later. Police added second-degree escape and second-degree assault to the defendant’s charges.

Attorney information for Thomas was not immediately available.

Both the allegedly assaulted officer and Thomas were treated at the hospital for minor injuries after the capture and were released, police said.

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Kevin Kelly mugshot from SCPD

Police arrested a man on Thursday evening who they say had illegal sexual contact with two teenagers several years ago.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, suspect Kevin Kelly met the victims while working as a stage manager for a local theater company. One of the alleged incidents occurred in 2007 and involved sexual contact with a 14-year-old, while the other allegedly occurred with a 15-year-old a year later.

Police arrested Kelly, a Massapequa resident, on Plant Avenue in Hauppauge Thursday, after Special Victims Section detectives investigated the case. He was charged with second-degree criminal sex act and third-degree criminal sex act.

Attorney information for Kelly was not immediately available on Friday afternoon. The defendant was scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.

Anyone who may have been a victim of inappropriate sexual contact or has information about the charges against Kelly is asked to call detectives at 631-852-6272.

File photo

Update, Oct. 5, 10:15 a.m.: Police identified the deceased woman found in a Lake Grove home last week as 42-year-old Tricia Odierna.

A woman found dead in Lake Grove on Thursday afternoon was killed, according to the Suffolk County Police Department.

The case began when patrol officers responded to a 911 call at 1:50 p.m., entering a house on Win Place, off of Hawkins Avenue. Police said the officers found a dead woman inside.

Authorities had not released the woman’s identity by Friday morning.

According to police, the woman’s death is believed to have a criminal cause.

Detectives from the SCPD’s Homicide Squad are investigating the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call them at 631-852-6392, or to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 800-220-TIPS.

Kings Park cash theft
A 25-year old woman from Wyandanch was arrested after police said she stole money from a resident’s home on Hileen Drive in Kings Park sometime between Aug. 28 and Aug. 29. She was arrested on Sept. 25, at the 4th Precinct, at 8:27 p.m. and charged with petit larceny.

Taking the greens from Walgreens
At Walgreens on East Main Street in Smithtown, on Sept. 27, an unknown man stole four boxes of blood sugar level test strips at 7:04 p.m.

Heroin is Hero-out
On Sept. 25, an 18-year old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested on Dorchester Road in Smithtown after police said he had possession of heroin on him and a hypodermic syringe at 12:30 p.m. He was charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of a hypodermic instrument.

Theft at Sevs
At 7-Eleven, on North Country Road, in Village of the Branch, on Sept. 25, an unknown person stole a bicycle that was left unlocked in the parking lot at 1:40 p.m.

From cell phone to cell holding
Police said a 27-year old man from Plainview was arrested for stealing security cameras from Street Walk Cell Phone Accessories kiosk at the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove on Sept. 8 at 7:30 p.m. He was arrested at the 4th Precinct on Sept. 25 and charged with petit larceny.

No more sushi for sush-you
On Sept. 23, a 45-year old man from Plainview was arrested at the 4th Precinct, at 9:23 p.m., for stealing on two different occasions according to police. On Feb. 28, he stole sushi from a ShopRite in Hauppauge and on Apr. 30, at 3:58 p.m., he stole grocery items from a business on Portion Road. He was charged with petit larceny.

Under the sheets
A 30-year old woman from St. James was arrested on Sept. 23 at the 4th Precinct for a previous theft on Aug. 17. Police said she stole bed sheets from a residents home on Ronkonkoma Avenue at 11:28 a.m. She was charged with petit larceny.

A sweet bluetooth
On Sept. 8, police said a 40-year old woman from St. James stole a Wii remote, Bluetooth headset and an HDMI adaptor at 8:17 p.m., from Centereach Mall in Commack. She was arrested at the 4th Precinct at 12:26 a.m. and was charged with petit larceny.

Knuckle to see here
A 24-year old man from Wyandanch was arrested on Sept. 24, on the corner of Jericho Turnpike and Townline Road in Commack, at 11:08 p.m., when police said he had possession of a metal knuckle knife and marijuana He was charged with fifth degree criminal possession of marijuana and fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Red cards all around
Four teens were arrested on Sept. 30 for damage police said they caused earlier that month. Cops said four 17-year-olds —Nicolas Collins and Eric Lamay, both of Greenlawn, and Michael Plackis and Julius Dimino, both of East Northport — drove a vehicle on soccer fields at the Northport Soccer Park in Northport sometime between Sept. 11 at 9 p.m. and Sept. 12 at 7 a.m. and caused an estimated $10,000 worth of damage. In photos capturing the damage, some of the fields were observed covered in tire marks, rendering them unusable. All four were charged with second-degree criminal mischief. Attorney information for the individuals wasn’t immediately available.

Crybaby
A man stole three baby monitors, valued at approximately $300, from a Target in East Northport on Deposit Road on Sept. 10 at 10:30 a.m. 

Hit and run
A 19-year-old man from Huntington was arrested on Sept. 27 after police said he struck a woman to the ground and ran off with her purse at 4:30 p.m. on West 22nd Street in Huntington. Police said he then resisted arrest and gave false identification when he was finally apprehended. He was charged with petit larceny, second-degree robbery, causing physical injury, resisting arrest and false impersonation.

Hunger pains
A woman was reported to have stolen grocery items and makeup from Waldbaum’s on Pulaski Road in Greenlawn on Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

It’s art
On Sept. 25, a man from Commack was arrested at the 2nd Precinct for a crime police said he committed on Sept. 8. Police said he spray-painted security cameras at The Red Barn and Motel in Elwood at 12:05 p.m. He was charged with third-degree burglary and illegal entry with intent.

Hide ya kids, hide ya bike
A resident of Derby Avenue in Greenlawn reported that two unknown subjects entered the person’s garage at 7:15 p.m. on Sept. 24 and fled with a mountain bike.

Just wanted to rock out
A 33-year-old man from Huntington was arrested for throwing a rock through a glass window of a Payless ShoeSource on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington at 5:50 p.m. on Sept. 25. He was arrested at the scene and charged with third-degree criminal mischief with intent to damage property.

Wrong kind of a mixer
Police said a 23-year-old woman from Nesconset possessed a controlled substance and marijuana at 7:40 p.m. on Sept. 25 on the corner of Broadway and Grafton Street in Greenlawn. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana.

Not cool for school
A 40-year-old man from Huntington Station was arrested at Huntington High School at 7:40 p.m. on Sept. 25 for driving while intoxicated, according to police. He was taken to the 2nd Precinct and charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated.

One way to make an impact
On Sept. 27, police said a 33-year-old man from Huntington Station stole an impact driver tool from Home Depot in Huntington Station at 4:30 p.m. He was charged with petit larceny.

Uncoachable
On Sept. 24, someone told police that two male employees of Huntington Coach Corporation got into a verbal disagreement on Deposit Road in East Northport at 6 p.m.

Wake and bake mistake
Police said a 38-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for operating a vehicle while ability impaired by drugs. The man was allegedly driving a 2001 GMC Yukon down Jeanne Avenue and Nancy Drive on Sept. 26 at 9:30 a.m., swerving and running through stop signs. Police discovered him in possession of marijuana and arrested him at the scene.

Booze and blunders
A 31-year-old man from Sound Beach was charged with operating a vehicle while ability impaired on Sept. 25. Police said the man was driving a 2001 Volkswagen north on Old Town Road in Port Jefferson Station that night when he got into a car crash. Police discovered the man was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene.

Police are irresistible
On Sept. 26 at 2:45 a.m., a 45-year-old man from Miller Place was charged with resisting arrest. Police were interviewing the man about an undisclosed case on Wedgewood Lane in Miller Place when the man began harassing an officer. The man then resisted as police arrested him.

Three times the fun
Police said a 50-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested on Sept. 26 for unlicensed operation of a vehicle after driving a 1984 Suzuki north on Holbrook Road in Lake Ronkonkoma. Police have revoked his license three times in the past.

What’s in a name?
A 29-year-old man from Port Jefferson Station was arrested for false impersonation on Sept. 26 on Campo Avenue in Selden after he gave an officer a name other than his own. Police didn’t say why officers were speaking to the man.

Signaled out
On Sept. 25, a 19-year-old man from Hauppauge was arrested for operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs. Police pulled him over after he turned left onto Nicolls Road without using his turning signal and discovered that the man was impaired.

Minor mishap
Police said a 51-year-old man from Ronkonkoma was arrested for selling tobacco to minors in Stony Brook on Sept. 24, after police said he sold tobacco to two 17-year-olds.

A bite at the beach
A 19-year-old man from Sound Beach was arrested on Beach Street for obstructing governmental administration, harassment and resisting arrest on Sept. 26, around 1:25 a.m., after stepping in front of police as they conducted an investigation. The man then refused to put his hands behind his back when police arrested him. Once the man was in the police cruiser, he bit an officer who was buckling the man’s seat belt.

Fender-bender buzz
On Sept. 27, around 1:46 a.m., police arrested a 29-year-old woman from Miller Place for driving while ability impaired. Police said she was driving a 2008 Jeep west on Route 25A in Rocky Point when she got into a car crash and police discovered she was intoxicated.

What a steal
Police said a man stole a 2007 Honda CRS on Sept. 26 around 2:30 p.m., from a residence on Dayton Avenue in Port Jefferson Station. Police said the victim put an ad on Craigslist to sell the car and received a response from an unidentified person who was interested in the Honda. When they met to discuss the car, the man got into it and drove off.

Shady thief
An unidentified person stole two sunglasses from a 2013 Jeep parked on Mount Sinai Avenue in Mount Sinai on Sept. 26.

Cell phone swiped
On Sept. 26, an unidentified person went into the Kohl’s on Route 25A in Rocky Point and stole a woman’s cell phone.

A tasty target
Police arrested a 48-year-old woman from Lake Grove on Sept. 25 for petit larceny. The woman stole assorted food and other items from the Target on Pond Path in South Setauket.

Mad for makeup
A 37-year-old woman from Port Jefferson Station was charged with petit larceny on Sept. 26 after she stole makeup from the Walmart on Nesconset Highway in East Setauket. Police arrested her at the scene.

Sod off
On Sept. 25 an unidentified person drove an all-terrain vehicle and damaged seeded crops at the DeLalio Sod Farm in Shoreham.

Clean getaway
Police said an unidentified person stole soaps, body wash, men’s clothing and two laundry baskets from the Centereach Mall on Sept. 27.

Barn break-in
An unidentified person cut a lock at a Dairy Barn on Middle Country Road in Selden on Sept. 27 around 2:31 a.m., attempting to enter the property, but police said nothing was stolen and the suspect fled the scene.

Cash and cards
Someone stole cash and credit cards from a 2015 Honda Pilot on Sept. 25, while the car was parked in a parking lot on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook.

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File photo

A driver was seriously hurt in front of a church on Jericho Turnpike early Thursday morning, in a crash that sent debris flying.

According to the Suffolk County Police Department, a woman was driving a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze west on that road in Smithtown shortly before 2 a.m. when she left the street, hit a brick column at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, overturned and hit a nearby tree.

The woman was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital with serious injuries. Police withheld the woman’s name, as her family had not yet been notified.

Jericho Turnpike was closed for several hours as detectives from the 4th Squad investigated the crash, which occurred just west of Terry Road, police said, and as large amounts of debris had to be removed.

Police impounded the Chevrolet for a safety check.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call detectives at 631-854-8452, or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.