Fugitive arrested for Lawrence assault

Two men charged in stabbing and theft

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Police tracked down and arrested one of the two men wanted for an alleged assault and robbery of another man, 21, that occurred in St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Cemetery on Rockaway Turnpike in Lawrence on July 14.

The victim was with Saul Rodriguez, 19, of Wanser Avenue in Inwood, and Franklin Acosta, 18, of Caffrey Avenue in Far Rockaway, in the cemetery, when there was an argument and Rodriguez and Coffey punched and kicked the 21-year-old, according to police. The fight then escalated and both men stabbed the other, which resulted in non-life threatening injuries to his hand and shoulder. Before fleeing, the men took the victim’s cell phone. The man was treated at a local hospital.

Rodriguez was found by police two days later and arrested. Acosta left New York. The Gang Investigations Squad, Nassau County Police Fugitive Squad and the U.S. Marshals Service NYNJ-RFTF located Acosta in Maryland and placed him under arrest without incident on Nov. 9.

Both men are charged with first degree robbery, two counts of second-degree robbery and second-degree assault. Acosta was found to have open Nassau County warrants for first-degree robbery, second-degree robbery and second-degree assault stemming from a separate incident.