Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Second Degree Murder, Choking Victim and Bias Attack

A look at crimes in the towns surrounding Mineola.

The following arrest information was supplied by several local police departments. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate convictions.

Mineola

A motorcycle accident occurred on Old Country Road and Laurel Street on November 24 at 9:18 a.m. causing a traumatic injury. 

Find out what's happening in Mineolawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

New Hyde Park

A Great Neck man was arrested for grand larceny and DWI after allegedly stealing a car late Tuesday in New Hyde Park, Nassau Police said.

Find out what's happening in Mineolawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Manhasset

Police are investigating a bias incident that occurred between November 24 at 5 p.m. and November 25 at 5 p.m. According to detectives, a large Menorah that was in front of Temple Judea at 333 Searingtown Road was damaged after being intentionally knocked over. The investigation is ongoing. Detectives request anyone with information regarding this crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All callers will remain anonymous. 

Roslyn

A car accident with an entrapment was reported on Old Northern Boulevard on November 25 at 8:16 p.m. The person was extracted at 8:25 p.m. An ambulance was requested taking an aided person who was experiencing a traumatic arrest to Winthrop University-Hospital.

A car accident with a vehicle overturned and person trapped inside occurred on the eastbound lane of the Northern State Parkway one-half mile east of exit 28 on November 27 at 12:27 p.m.

Westbury

A fire occurred in a dryer at 2998 Brush Hollow Road at the Viana Hotel & Spa on November 24 at 12:40 p.m.

A fire at a private dwelling at 34 South Grand St. occurred on November 27 at 1:15 p.m. Departments from Carle Place and East Meadow responded to the scene. It was reported that there were multiple single-residence occupancies. 

New Cassel

Melvin D. Smith III, 21, of North Amityville was charged with second degree murder for the death of Joe Smithson, 20 of New Cassel, who succumbed on November 4 to injuries sustained from gunshot wounds to his neck and chest following an assult on July 7, 2012 at 10:55 p.m. in New Cassel. According to detectives, three male black subjects fired multiple gun shots from a handgun at a group of people gathered on Swalm Street for a party. In addition to Smithson, a male victim 21, sustained a gun shot wound to his left arm, a female victim 17, sustained a gunshot to her right thigh, a male 17, suffered a wound to his left leg. All victims were removed to local hospitals to be treated for their injuries. The subjects fled northbound on Swalm Street.  Smith was arraigned on November 30 at First District Court in Hempstead.

Woodbury

A fire fully involving a house, the second floor and going through the roof occurred at 55 Juneau Blvd. on November 25 at 7:20 p.m. The majority of the fire was contained at 8:12 p.m.

Hicksville

A fire occurred in a one-story commercial building on North Newbridge Road and West Old Country Road on November 25 at 7:30 p.m. The fire was reported darkening down at 8:07 p.m. According to detectives, a fire started at Advanced Auto Service, 178 Old Country Road in the rear of the building. Seven fire departments along with 107 firefighters responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The fire caused extensive damage to the building. One fire Chief was treated at a local hospital for an ankle injury. The cause is undetermined but appears to be non- suspicious. The investigation is ongoing.

South Broadway at Lauman Avenue was closed due to an accident investigation involving an automobile and bicyclist on November 27 at 11:09 a.m. and reopened at 1:53 p.m. According to detectives, a 34 year old male while riding a bicycle southbound on South Broadway was struck by a 2003 Ford being operated by a 76 year old male traveling northbound on South Broadway and making a left turn to westbound Lauman Lane at 9:58 a.m. The victim was removed to an area hospital where he was listed in critical condition. The vehicle was impounded for brake and safety checks. Detectives report no apparent criminality at this time and the investigation is ongoing

A car was fully involved in a fire on South Broadway and Marvin Avenue on November 28 at 5:15 p.m.

A car overturned at 175 East Old Country Road on November 30 at 6:18 a.m. Hicksville Fire Department and Nassau County Police responded to the scene.

Bethpage

A fire occurred at 172 North Fifth St. on the second floor bedroom of a private dwelling on November 25 at 2:24 p.m. The fire was placed under control at 2:31 p.m.

Police arrested two persons for a robbery that occurred on November 30 at 3:40 a.m. According to detectives, the 26-year old male victim cab driver from All Season Taxi picked up Ashley N. Batewell, 22, of Levittown in front of room 10 at the Bethpage Motel. She then displayed a black handgun and ordered the victim to pick up defendant Richard A Schroko, 22, of East Meadow at a nearby bar. Both defendants instructed the victim to drive them in front of 224 Harrison Avenue at which time Schroko put the black handgun to the victim’s head and demanded all his money. The victim gave them an undetermined amount of U.S. currency. They exited the vehicle and were instructed to leave the area. The investigation led Second Precinct Police Officers back to the motel and placed the defendants into custody without incident. A search incident to arrest revealed Batewell to be in possession of Zanax. Schroko is charged with first degree robbery and two counts of second degree criminal possession of a weapon. Batewell is charged with first degree robbery, second degree criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance

Garden City

A Garden City man was arrested on November 24 for allegedly leaving the scene of a Saturday morning car accident that left a motorcyclist seriously injured, Nassau County Police said. According to the Homicide Squad, James Gallagher, 69, was driving his 2001 Nissan Pathfinder while making a left turn onto Old Country Road from Linden Street when he struck a motorcycle traveling in the right lane of the eastbound road and failed to stop. The operator of the motorcycle, a male 29-year-old from Mineola, suffered internal injuries as well as a partial amputation of his right foot.

A male 31-year-old from Garden City was arrested on November 26 during a domestic incident for choking another family member and for intentionally damaging that person’s property.

Garden City officers assisted Nassau County officers who had stopped a vehicle on Rockaway Avenue as a result of an investigation that originated in Mineola on November 27. The Nassau police officers arrested three occupants in the vehicle (male 20-year-old from West Hempstead, a female 19-year-old from Greenvale and a female 18-year-old from Oyster Bay) for possession of the drug Ecstasy.

West Hempstead

Lesly Rosemond, 52, of Hempstead, was arrested on November 25 on Front Street in West Hempstead and charged with DWI.

Ilian A. Vasco, 35, of Uniondale, was arrested on November 22 at the intersection of Westminster Road and Hempstead Turnpike in West Hempstead and charged with DWI.

An unknown person threw a rock at the rear window of a vehicle on Woodfield Road in West Hempstead on November 20, causing it to shatter.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.