Crime & Safety

Long Beach Man Arrested for Assaulting Officers, Grand Larceny

The defendant, Richie Medina, allegedly fled from two accidents before police apprehended him.

A Long Beach man was arrested in Oceanside Thursday evening after he allegedly stole a flat bed tow truck and fled the scene of two separate car accidents.

According to Nassau County detectives, around 5 p.m, Thursday, officers responded to a car accident at Atlantic Avenue and Lawson Boulevard in Oceanside. When they arrived at the location, the officers were approached by a man who told them he had called police and was a victim of a car accident that occurred on Long Beach Road and Daly Boulevard, more than a mile away from that location.

The man pointed out Richie Medina, 22, of Long Beach, as the driver of the flat bed truck that had hit his car and left the scene, police said.

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According to police, during the investigation, arresting officers discovered that the flat bed tow truck had been stolen from 550 Long Beach Blvd. and Medina had also been involved in a second "leaving the scene" car accident at Austin Boulevard and California Place in Island Park. A woman at the scene of the first accident told police her car had been hit by a flat bed tow truck.

Medina was arrested and taken to the Fourth Precinct in Hewlett. While at the precinct, during processing the arrest, the defendant assaulted two Nassau County officers, police said. One of the officers injured his knees when he was pushed to the floor by Medina. The other officer sustained a puncture wound to his hand during the struggle with Medina.

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According to police, Medina was handcuffed when a third officer arrived to assist. Both officers were transported to an area hospital to treat their injuries.

Medina was charged with second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, two counts of second-degree assault, second-degree obstructing governmental administration, unlicensed operator and two counts of leaving scene of an incident without reporting.

Medina was arraigned on Friday at First District Court in Hempstead.


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