North Merrick man busted with gun, pills

A North Merrick man was arrested late Saturday night after allegedly firing a gun inside his vehicle while leaving a bar in North Bellmore.

According to Nassau County Police, officers responded to a 911 call about a fight in front of Ginger’s Bar. Upon arrival, police said, patrons told them that Richard Sambade, 44, of 990 Tyrus Court, had fired a gun inside his Ford F150 while driving out of the parking lot.

After stopping Sambade, officers said that he had glassy, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech, and was placed under arrest. Inside the F150, officers found a .38 Taurus revolver, as well as eight pills on Sambade’s person that they believed to be alprazolam, or Xanax, a commonly abused anti-anxiety medication.

Sambade was charged with second degree criminal possession of a weapon, seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, second degree reckless endangerment and driving while intoxicated. Sambade was scheduled to be arraigned on Sunday, Nov. 13 in Hempstead First District Court.