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Tag: Long Island

  • Sleeping Long Island Teen Arrested for DUI After Operating Tesla on Autopilot Along Connecticut Highway

    Sleeping Long Island Teen Arrested for DUI After Operating Tesla on Autopilot Along Connecticut Highway

    A drunken teenager from Long Island was taken into custody after police found him passed out in a Tesla that he had set to autopilot on a busy highway in Connecticut, according to the NY Post. 

    Nineteen-year-old Guido Reinoso Gallegos from Garden City was found slumped over the steering wheel as the self-driving car traveled down I-91 south in Wethersfield at a speed of just 30 miles per hour, with its hazard lights on. Trooper Charles Luby reported that he and another officer approached the Tesla with their lights flashing and sirens sounding to wake Gallegos, but he remained in a deep sleep.

    Officers were able to bring the Tesla to a stop when one of them positioned their vehicle in front, causing the autopilot to stop. They quickly checked on the driver to make sure he wasn’t experiencing a medical emergency. The teenager showed signs of impairment and did not pass a field sobriety test, reports noted. He was taken into custody around 12:30 am on Friday.

    Although Gallegos wasn’t physically holding the wheel, he was charged with driving under the influence because he still needed the awareness to press on the gas or brake if necessary, according to Connecticut State Police in a statement to The Stamford Advocate. He faces charges of driving while intoxicated, reckless driving, reckless endangerment, and operating a vehicle at an excessively slow speed, as reported by state police.

    “At the end of the day, you’re sitting at the wheel, you’re supposed to be able to drive the vehicle,” Luby said. “If anything goes wrong, you’re supposed to be able to adjust for that.”Gallegos posted bail set at $1,500 and is scheduled to appear in court in New Britain next month.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Long Island Teacher Accused of Dropping Textbooks on Special Needs Student’s Head and Locking One in a Closet

    Long Island Teacher Accused of Dropping Textbooks on Special Needs Student’s Head and Locking One in a Closet

    A Long Island school is under fire for reportedly taking no action while a former teacher “tormented” special needs second graders, as reported by the NY Post.  

    Former Cornwall School teacher, John O’Dwyer, is accused of various forms of abuse. These include dropping textbooks on kid’s heads, as detailed in a recent legal filing and echoed by upset parents. The filing is seeking $20 million in damages.

    Details of O’Dwyer’s Alleged Abuse

    O’Dwyer is accused of mistreating one frightened boy by dragging him across the classroom and even locking him in a dark closet while he cried out for help.

    The claim, which serves as a precursor to a civil lawsuit against a municipal agency, asserts that the school not only “failed to prevent” O’Dwyer’s misconduct but was also made aware of the abuse and “did nothing about it.” In the first of several claims being filed against the West Hempstead Union Free School District and Cornwall School, one family alleges that O’Dwyer specifically targeted their son for “humiliating abuse,” inflicting both physical and mental “torment” that included kicking and punching him. 

    “We will uncover the full truth of what happened — and expose how the West Hempstead Union Free School District allowed this cruelty to continue for so long,” said Nathan Werksman, a partner at Merson Law, PLLC.

    The mother who submitted the notice of claim stated that her son, who has special needs, informed her that the alleged abuse occurred frequently throughout the 2023-2024 school year. An assistant teacher was “present for much of the abuse” and the school “ignored complaints about O’Dwyer’s behavior,” according to the claim.

    According to the father of the victim, several other families are also preparing to take legal action. The father, who requested to remain anonymous, reported that O’Dwyer would take a textbook—”a heavy, old-fashioned textbook”—and throw or drop it onto the students’ heads.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Illegal Immigrant in Long Island Killed His 2-Month-Old Daughter Because He Believed She Wasn’t His Baby

    Illegal Immigrant in Long Island Killed His 2-Month-Old Daughter Because He Believed She Wasn’t His Baby

    An illegal immigrant is accused of murdering his 2-month-old daughter because he doubted her paternity, per the NY Post. The suspect, 20-year-old Marlon Rabanales-Pretzantzin, allegedly slapped little Liseyda Rabanales-Barrios in the face, punched her in the stomach, and shook her violently inside his Inwood home on March 7, as stated in the criminal complaint.

    He reportedly threw her onto a bed and deliberately pressed his fist into her chest. The infant was left with rib injuries and a fractured vertebra in her neck due to the shaking. The young father was charged with murder on Wednesday after he confessed to taking the life of the baby.

    Rabanales-Pretzantin told police that “although he is listed as the father on the birth certificate, he suspects that he is not the father so he lost affection for the baby and felt some kind of animosity,” Nassau County Detective Lieutenant Scott Skrynecki told The Post. A 911 call was made reporting that the baby had “rolled off the bed” in the home located near Maple Road and Elm Road at approximately 10:40 a.m., according to police.

    An autopsy conducted by a medical examiner determined that the cause of death was homicide. Authorities stated that Rabanales-Pretzantzin, a migrant from Guatemala, crossed the Mexico-El Paso border in 2022. He was detained by Border Patrol and subsequently released, as noted by Skrynecki. Afterward, Rabanales-Pretzantzin traveled to Virginia before arriving in Nassau County. He was arraigned in Nassau County Court on Thursday and is being held without bail.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • 13th Suspect Arrested In Sex Trafficking Case Of Teen Emma Gervasi, Reports Say Two Women Are Accused Of Selling Her For Drugs

    13th Suspect Arrested In Sex Trafficking Case Of Teen Emma Gervasi, Reports Say Two Women Are Accused Of Selling Her For Drugs

    A 13th suspect has been apprehended for the kidnapping and sexual assault of a teenager from Long Island Emmarae Gervasi, who was missing for a month. 40-year-old Anthony Wright from North Amityville, faces charges after the teen accused him of sexually abusing her at his home in Dec., reports the New York Post. 

    Wright, who entered a not guilty plea, was assigned a bail of $500,000 in cash or a $1 million bond. If you’re unaware, Gervasi was abducted for 25 days, starting on Dec. 9 when Alton Harrell, 35, allegedly took her from her house, and she was moved to various homes and a motel by different suspects. All suspects have been charged with sexual assault and kidnapping. 

    Wright’s reported crimes occurred over a week after Gervasi was taken aboard a boat by 64-year-old Francis Buckheit on Dec. 13. Two women have also been accused of trading Gervasi for drugs. 34-year-old Elizabeth Hunter faces charges for involving a child in a sexual performance.

    Hunter and her alleged accomplice, 52-year-old Jacquelyn Comiskey are charged with promoting prostitution. 47-year-old Bunice Knight was apprehended for reportedly trading drugs with Comiskey for sex with Gervasi in his home on Jan. 2. While, Buckheit faces charges of “first-degree kidnapping and child sex trafficking.” On Jan. 2, Gervasi was rescued by her father after receiving an anonymous alert. 

    #Clique, what are your thoughts? 

  • FedEx Driver Reportedly Glanced At Phone 25 Times Before Fatal Crash That Killed Former York College Track Star and His Two Kids

    FedEx Driver Reportedly Glanced At Phone 25 Times Before Fatal Crash That Killed Former York College Track Star and His Two Kids

    A FedEx truck driver is accused of causing a crash that killed an ex Long Island track star and his two children. 30-year-old Santos Valentin, reportedly checked his phone 25 times before the accident. He crashed into a Honda Civic with Donnell Hickson, 43, his son Decir, 18, and his daughter, Kyla, 11. The impact pushed both vehicles off the road, with the truck ending up on top of the car, reports the New York Post. According to WKBN, the incident occurred on July 20, 2024. 

    Hickson and his two children were sadly, declared dead at the scene. Valentin, who survived, went to the hospital. He surrendered on Thursday after being charged with three felony counts of vehicle homicide. Prosecutors say he was utilizing his phone around the time of the crash.

    The FedEx driver, not wearing a seatbelt, claimed the Civic appeared suddenly during the crash while he was driving 65 to 75 mph. However, dash cam footage showed he was using his phone just before the accident.

    Valentin checked his phone 25 times and looked at the road only 20 times in 48 seconds, tapping and swiping on the screen, per Newsday. Moments before the crash, the Honda switched lanes and stopped suddenly, but investigators don’t know why. Valentin posted $300,000 bail after being held behind bars.

    Hickson was an All-American triple jumper at York College and competed in the 2005 NCAA Championships. His son, Decir, was preparing for college before the crash.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts? 

  • Long Island Corrections Officer Steals $110K In Payments Intended For Wife’s Back Surgery, DA Says

    Long Island Corrections Officer Steals $110K In Payments Intended For Wife’s Back Surgery, DA Says

    Authorities report that a corrections officer from Long Island embezzled $110,096 in insurance checks meant for his estranged wife’s back surgery, per the NY Post. 

    Christopher Kowalewski, 49, of Merrick,  allegedly took 11 reimbursement checks from her New York State Empire Plan. It reportedly ranged in amounts from $92,488 to $147, for her March 2022 procedure. Kowalewski allegedly used the money for personal expenses, according to Nassau District Attorney Anne Donnelly. 

    Kowalewski is said to have cashed two of the checks and deposited the other nine into a joint bank account he held with an unnamed individual. The accused’s plan initially succeeded because he was the policyholder for his wife’s medical account, allowing the out-of-network checks to be issued in his name. United Healthcare, which manages the Empire Plan, distributed the funds from December 2021 to December 2023.

    “Public servants are entrusted with doing the right thing, and when they take advantage of the system for personal gain, it hurts everyone,”

    Donnelly said in her statement. On Monday, the defendant was charged with second-degree grand larceny and could face a maximum of 15 years in prison.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • UBS Arena Parking Attendant In Long Island Busted After Pocketing $5K In Venmo Payment From Customers

    UBS Arena Parking Attendant In Long Island Busted After Pocketing $5K In Venmo Payment From Customers

    A parking attendant at UBS Arena in Long Island was apprehended for reportedly cheating hockey fans and concertgoers by having them pay their parking fees to him directly. The 26-year-old Tremayne Brown of Queens reportedly took nearly $5,000 without giving it to his employer. He conned customers into using his Venmo account 125 times since April 17. His scheme was revealed on Jan. 12 when his supervisor overheard him requesting payments, per the New York Post.

    The UBS Arena’s parking lot supervisor talked to a customer, who said Brown instructed her to pay $30 to his Venmo account to

    “save on fees.”

    Court documents reveal that this wasn’t Brown’s first rodeo as he had used this stunt before. His Venmo account history indicated he had done the same thing on multiple occasions with failure to send the money to the arena.

    Brown reportedly didn’t disclose his dishonest actions in the arena’s business records. He was apprehended on Jan. 14 and charged with third-degree grand larceny and first-degree falsifying business records. According to court records, he has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Mother Outraged About The ‘Time-Out’ Rooms Her Special Needs Son’s School Would Use On Him, Says It Resembles A Jail Cell

    Mother Outraged About The ‘Time-Out’ Rooms Her Special Needs Son’s School Would Use On Him, Says It Resembles A Jail Cell

    A mom in Long Island is distraught and speaking out after discovering that the “time-out room” for her special-needs son looked more like a jail cell. This made her feel “betrayed by the system.” Nicole Miller’s 10-year-old son, Cooper, was often sent to this room at North Ridge Elementary for behavioral problems. His drawings of the room, with bars over the door, confused his mother even more, per the New York Post. 

    The mother told NBC New York, “I was under the impression that they took him to a separate classroom. Maybe there’s a beanbag.” 

    The school informed Miller that her son had significant behavioral issues. They said they would need to use the room to assist him manage his emotions.

    “They told me, you know, he’s very behavioral. Like he will rip up his papers or they were concerned about him being a danger to himself or to other kids… They said he has to stay in the room until he regulates and calms down. I didn’t know any better at the time. I listened to what they said.”

    What The Mother Witnessed

    However, the mother requested to see the time-out room and was stunned by what she saw. 

    “A jail cell. It looked like a jail cell and I felt so betrayed by the system,” said Miller. 

    Yet, State law states that time-out rooms should only be utilized when there is an immediate safety concern. Children must be observed, and the doors should not be locked. Miller has moved Cooper to a different school that doesn’t use time-out rooms, believing that the seclusion worsened his behavioral problems.

    “He would have nightmares that he was in a building and all the windows were boarded and mommy was outside and he couldn’t get to mommy… I don’t think it’s that difficult to translate what that dream meant. And it was reoccurring,” the mother recounted. 

    The Commack School District justified using the rooms. The district said “These interventions are outlined in the behavior improvement plan which is crafted by a team and discussed with a parent.”

    #Clique, what are your thoughts? 

  • Elderly Man Fatally Struck By Hit-and-Run Driver Who Dragged His Body To The Side Of The Road Before Fleeing

    Elderly Man Fatally Struck By Hit-and-Run Driver Who Dragged His Body To The Side Of The Road Before Fleeing

    A heartless hit-and-run driver fatally struck an elderly man in Long Island, NY, on Wednesday night, as reported by the NY Post. 

    The suspect reportedly dragged the victim to the side of the road before fleeing the scene, according to authorities. Jeffrey Frank, 74, was crossing Broadway near the Everit Avenue intersection in Hewlett just after 10 p.m. when a dark-colored SUV struck him, according to Nassau County Police. 

    Witnesses stated that the driver exited the vehicle and pulled Frank out of the roadway to safety, but then got back in his car and drove away. Frank was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, police said. As of Thursday evening, the driver remains at large.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?

  • Scorned Lover Slashes Boyfriend After He Attempted To End Their Relationship , Said ‘I Am Not Leaving Until I See You Bleed’

    Scorned Lover Slashes Boyfriend After He Attempted To End Their Relationship , Said ‘I Am Not Leaving Until I See You Bleed’

    A woman was taken into custody after she allegedly slashed her boyfriend when he tried to break up with her at their Long Island home on Tuesday, according to the authorities per the New York Post.

    Marienny Yanez, 29, reportedly flew into a fit of rage when her boyfriend, who is also 29, told her he wanted to end their relationship. She allegedly grabbed a pair of knives and stabbed her boyfriend’s safe, causing $100 in damage, Nassau County cops and prosecutors said. She then threatened him stating,

    “I am not leaving until I see you bleed,”

    according to a criminal complaint. 

    Yanez kept her word and attacked her partner, slashing him on the forearm, reports reveal. There was a blood trail left in the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom floors of their home, officials said. Afterward, Yanez dropped the knives, called an Uber, and took him to a nearby hospital, as stated in the complaint. 

    When police responded to the incident around 9:30 pm, they arrived to an empty home. Yanez was later arrested at the hospital and charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon. She pleaded not guilty during her arraignment on Wednesday. Judge Veronica Renta Irwin ordered her to stay away from her partner and she’s been placed on electronic monitoring.

    #Clique, what are your thoughts?