Man sentenced for truck rampage

An Elmont man was sentenced to time served and ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution on Aug. 12 for a mile-long path of destruction he caused when he drove a stolen truck with an extended exterior boom from Elmont to Valley Stream in August 2013.

Joel Grasman, 54, pleaded guilty in April 2014 to second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal tampering.

Grasman had worked for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority for more than 20 years when he stole a Mack crane truck from an MTA facility in Richmond Hill, Queens, and loaded it with welding equipment at 1 a.m. on Aug. 27, 2013. He unloaded the equipment at an Elmont residence, then attempted to drive the truck with its boom in the extended and upright position, snaring wires and pulling down telephone poles, utility wires and traffic lights along the way. Grasman abandoned the truck on the entrance ramp of the Southern State Parkway at Exit 15 in Valley Stream. He was arrested later that day.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Helene Gugerty sentenced him to time served for the seven months he spent in jail, five years of probation, a $1,000 fine and restitution in the amount of $1,001,319.98 for the felony. Grasman received three years’ probation for the misdemeanors, to run concurrently with the first count.

The district attorney’s office had recommended a sentence of between two and six years of incarceration and restitution for the victims.

“The defendant caused a tremendous amount of destruction in a short period of time, and thousands of families were impacted by his actions,” said Acting District Attorney Madeline Singas. “By stealing the truck and knocking down so many power lines, the defendant inconvenienced thousands of Long Islanders — including seniors and the infirm — who need electricity in their homes.”

The incident interrupted power to about 6,100 residents.

Grasman was represented by Garden City attorney Peter Menoudakos, Jr.