Huntington Station Man Tried Luring Young Girl Into Car: Police

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — A Huntington Station man who tried to lure a child into his vehicle at a bus stop and then nearly struck two Suffolk police officers with his car was arrested on Thursday, Suffolk police said.

A group of children and a mother of one of the kids were standing at a bus stop at East 8th Street and Lenox Road in Huntington Station around 8:50 a.m. Thursday when Erasmo Ortega, 48, drove up in a black 2000 Toyota Camry, police said. Ortega tried to coax a 7-year-old girl to get into his car, police said. The girl refused, and Ortega drove off, police said. The mother at the bus stop told the police.

Two officers from the Second Precinct were outside their vehicle when they saw Ortega driving on East 8th Street and motioned for him to stop his car, police said. Ortega refused to stop and nearly hit the two officers as he drove away, police said.

Ortega was found at his home on Lenox Road at around 12:20 p.m., police said.

Ortega was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, reckless driving and second-degree reckless endangerment.

Ortega was scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.