Centereach Man Who Stabbed Suffolk Officer Indicted: Suffolk DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Centereach man accused of stabbing a Suffolk police officer in April, causing critical injuries to the officer, has been indicted, Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini and Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart announced on Wednesday.

Jonathan Nunez, 25, faces a slew of assault charges. If convicted of the top count, Nunez faces up to 30 years in prison.

Nunez was driving a 1999 Mercedes Benz southbound on South Ocean Avenue in Patchogue around 10:30 p.m. April 10 when Suffolk County Police Fifth Precinct officer Christopher Racioppo saw him driving erratically with no headlights on, officials said. Racioppo turned his emergency lights on and tried to pull Nunez over, authorities said. Nunez sped off and crashed into a 2004 Nissan at the intersection of South Ocean Avenue and Brook Street, prosecutors said.

Nunez got out of his car and ran into the yard of a nearby home, officials said. He then fought with Racioppo, and Nunez stabbed him in the leg, severing his femoral artery and a vein, authorities said. Nunez was high on methamphetamine during the incident, Sini said.

"This defendant was allegedly high on drugs and driving erratically, and instead of pulling over and complying with lawful commands, he decided to speed through a residential area and ultimately attacked a police officer," Sini said. "These are all conscious decisions that the defendant made — decisions that put so many peoples’ lives at risk — including Officer Racioppo, who is lucky to be alive thanks to the swift actions of the responding officers, good Samaritans, and the medical professionals at both Long Island Community Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital. I’ll say this clearly and unequivocally: We will do whatever it takes to hold this defendant accountable for his horrific actions."

Two good Samaritans helped apprehend Nunez and gave Racioppo emergency medical aid, authorities said.

Racioppo underwent emergency surgery for the ruptured artery while in critical condition at Stony Brook University Hospital, officials said. He was released from the hospital on Monday.

"Officer Racioppo is thankfully home today, but he has suffered a grave injury that will take a lot of time to come back from," Hart said. "It was a lesson in courage that we saw when Officer Racioppo was viciously attacked and officers came to his rescue without question. I want to thank the District Attorney and his team on behalf of the men and women of the Suffolk County Police Department for holding this defendant accountable and bringing him to justice."

The Nissan driver who Nunez is accused of driving into was treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, officials said.

Nunez was treated at Long Island Community Hospital following the incident, where he became "combative" with the medical staff, Sini said.

"The defendant was extremely combative and extremely violent," Sini said. "At no point did he have any interest in complying with lawful commands by members of the police department, and that behavior continued when he was brought to the hospital, where he was combative with the medical staff as well."

Nunez was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer (a class B violent felony); first-degree assault (a class B violent felony); assault on a police officer (a class C violent felony); two counts of second-degree assault (a class D violent felony); third-degree assault (a class A misdemeanor); resisting arrest (a class A misdemeanor); leaving the scene of an incident resulting in physical injury (a class A misdemeanor); reckless driving (a misdemeanor); and operating a motor vehicle while impaired by a drug (a misdemeanor).

Nunez was remanded without bail. He is being represented by the Legal Aid Society and is due back in court on June 2.