Crime & Safety

Top Crime and Police Stories of 2012

Year in Review: Patch looks back at some of the biggest police stories of the year in Town of North Hempstead.

Cops: Argument Over Walking Dead Leads to Williston Park Shooting: A Williston Park man has been charged with attempted second degree murder after an argument over the AMC TV series “The Walking Dead” prompted him to shoot his longtime girlfriend, Nassau Police said.

Williston Park Man Convicted of Mailing Himself Cocaine: A man charged with trying to ship a kilogram of cocaine across the country to himself in a television box was convicted in June. David Kappen, 35, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first and third degrees and faces 12 to 24 years in prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 26.

Williston Park Man Arrested in Fatal Hit and Run: A suspect has been arrested in the fatal hit-and-run accident that took the life of a Garden City restaurant manager in August in Williston Park. Raymond F. Kalenka, 45, of Williston Park, was arrested Tuesday in connection with the accident, police said. He is charged with leaving the scene of an accident with death. Kalenka will be arraigned on Wednesday at First District Court in Hempstead.

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New Hyde Park Man Pleads Guily to Rape of Underage Girl: A New Hyde Park man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl after giving her and other teenagers alcohol at a party during summer 2011. Frank Richard Neglia, 46, was arrested in July by Nassau County Police before being extradited to Wayne County. He allegedly gave alcohol to several teens at a party before committing the sexual assault.

Car Crash Claims Life on Covert Avenue: The life of a 21-year old driver was claimed in a fatal car accident on Covert Avenue and New Hyde Park in April. According to reports, the driver lost control of the vehicle while headed north on Covert Avenue at a high rate of speed just south of the Long Island Rail Road tracks. 

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Missing Nortwestern Student From New Hyde Park Found Dead: The body of a missing Northwestern student, Harsha Maddula, from New Hyde Park was found from Wilmette Harbor in September.

Garden City Park Teen Killed in Plane Crash: Two students from the Farmingdale State College aviation program — one from Garden City Park — were killed in a May plane crash in Pennsylvania. The dead were identified as Patrick Sheridan, 34, of Long Beach, the pilot, and Casey Falconer, 19, of Garden City Park. A third student, Evan Kisseloff, 21, of Oceanside, survived.

Queens Man Charged with 'Forcible Touching' in Port Washington: Nassau County Detectives have charged a male employee at a Port Washington pizzeria with forcible touching after four separate alleged incidents.

Roslyn Heights Man Faces Embezzlement Charges: John Rom, 57, of Roslyn Heights was charged in December with stealing more than $15,000 from the parent-teacher association of the Henry Viscardi School in Albertson, according to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice. The school serves children with severe physical and medical disabilities.

11 Charged in Public Assistance Fraud: Two Great Neck residents are among 11 people facing up to 15 years in prison after police in December said the group stole mor than $400,000 in public assistance benefits, according to Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's office.

Great Neck Man Charged in Fatal DWI: Christian Ludlow of Great Neck was arrested and charged with vehicular manslaughter and driving while intoxicated in the death of a Jericho man in December along the Long Island Expressway, according to the NYPD.

Great Neck Man Murdered in Brooklyn: A Brooklyn shopkeeper from Great Neck,Vahidipour Rahmatollah, 78, died in November after being shot twice to the head and once to the torso at the She She Boutique at 834 Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn. Salvatore Perrone, a garment district salesman from Staten Island, confessed to the killing.


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