Crime & Safety

Crime Nearby: Two Hurt in Machete Attack

Notable arrests and convictions on Long Island.

A Locust Valley man was charged with attempted murder following a vicious machete attack early Thursday that left two men severely injured, Glen Cove Police said.

The two victims were struck repeatedly with a machete in a Glen Cove yard just after midnight. Police arrested Raul Garcia, who authorities say fled the scene and was later found hiding in a basement.   

A 42-year-old victim suffered massive head trauma – including a depressed skull fracture – severe facial lacerations and remains in a medically induced coma, police said.  

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The second victim, 33, was treated by medical personnel, and according to police, received 24 staples to close the large lacerations to his head. 

Suspended Driver Tries to Flee

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A Copiague man whose driver license had been suspended or revoked 69 times was arrested Thursday after a routine traffic stop, Suffolk County Police said. 

Police pulled over Jaquan Joas after he failed to signal at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Pine Aire Drive in Brentwood. After initially providing a fake name, police said Joas fled on foot. 

Following his arrest, police determined that Joas had numerous suspensions and revocations on his license.

Joas was charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, false personation, resisting arrest, and criminal possession of marijuana.

Police Catch Bay Jumper

You heard of bail jumpers. How about a bay jumper? A man wanted in connection with a Merrick burglary tried to evade Nassau County Police by jumping into Merrick Bay.

Donald Smith, 45, of Newport News, Va. was arrested July 26 after police responded to a residential burglary alarm and found a large safe in the front seat of a nearby Chevy Cruze.

Police heard the sound of glass shattering coming from the rear of the residence and saw Smith dash toward the bay. Smith was caught and found with the keys to the Cruze.

Smith was charged with second-degree burglary and resisting arrest. 

Guilty Verdict in Hit-and-Run

The Williston Park man who was charged with a fatal hit-and-run that resulted in the death of Albertson resident Dean LaLima was found guilty of all charges Thursday in Nassau County Court.

Raymond F. Kalenka, 46, faces up to two-and-a-half to seven years in prison when he is scheduled to be sentenced in October, about 14 months after he ran over LaLima’s body near the intersection of Syracuse Street and Broad Street in the early morning hours of Aug. 12, 2012.

The case hinged on the testimony of a Williston Park security guard who was coming home from work at the time of the fatal incident. Clouding the issue: An autopsy revealed LaLima had alcohol in his system.

DA: $75K Contractor Scam

A New Jersey man was arrested and charged with scamming a Long Island contractor out of $75,000 that was supposed to pay for new windows in a Lido Beach home, Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice announced Thursday.

Scott Brown, 50, of Point Pleasant, N.J., was arrested and charged with second-degree grand larceny. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Rice said that in the summer of 2012, Brown, the owner of Retail Renovation, LLC in Manasquan, N.J., falsely represented by a Nassau general contractor that he was an authorized dealer of Western Window Systems. The contractor agreed to pay Brown $75,000 to purchase and install the high-end windows in a new home project in Lido Beach.

Brown told the contractor that he would have the windows ready for installation in approximately 12 weeks.

After receiving a down payment of $40,000 in July 2012 and the remaining $35,000 the following month, Brown deposited the money into his bank account without ever ordering the windows, the DA said. Brown’s bank records indicate that he used some of the stolen funds to pay personal expenses such as credit card payments, fishing gear, restaurants, and trips to Florida, as well as for business supplies and industry vendors.

Brown told the contractor in December that he never ordered the windows because his sister had stolen the money. 


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