4 Accused Of Attempted Murder In Nassau Car Break-In, Attack: PD

JERICHO, NY — Four people have been arrested and face attempted murder charges after police said they attacked two people who tried to stop a car break-in outside a Jericho home.

As Patch previously reported, police said four men broke into a car that was parked in the driveway of a Woodbridge Lane home in June. When residents in the home saw the break-in, the suspects ran. Two men, ages 49 and 22, chased the suspects and a fight broke out on a nearby street, where police said the two men were attacked. During the attack, one of the suspects pulled out a silver pistol and fired two shots. No one was struck. The attackers then fled.

The older victim suffered trauma to the back of his head, as well as a broken nose and bruises to his arms and legs. The younger victim suffered a forehead cut, a broken nose and bruises to his arms and legs. Both were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

On Thursday, police said they arrested Joel Batista, 20, of Uniondale; Will Cruz Benavides, 20, of Elmont; Kenneth Delacruz, 20, of Freeport; and Justin Osorio, 18, of Freeport.

All four men face two counts of second-degree attempted murder, police said.

Batista faces four counts of first-degree robbery, three counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon and first-degree criminal use of a firearm. Batista, Benavides and Delacruz all previously appeared in Mineola court. Osorio was scheduled to appear in court Friday.