Baldwin man and woman arrested in Lynbrook on gun, marijuana charges after tailgating Nassau County police officers

Posted

A man and woman from Baldwin were arrested by Nassau County police in Lynbrook on Tuesday at 9 p.m. after tailgating the officers, who later discovered that they had a loaded firearm and marijuana in the car.

According to the Nassau County Police Department, special operations officers observed a Mercedes-Benz Sedan operating behind them, traveling northbound on Broadway, in Hewlett. The driver of the vehicle was tailgating the officers' vehicle and repeatedly honked its horn. The vehicle then went into the southbound lane of traffic, while traveling northbound, at a high rate of speed, to get around the officers' vehicle. 

The officers initiated their emergency lights and conducted a vehicle and traffic law stop at the intersection of Broadway and Everett Street in Lynbrook. Upon approaching the vehicle, officers detected a smell of marijuana and observed Randell Arthur, sitting in the front passenger seat, clutching his fanny pack around his chest. During the investigation, officers found that Arthur was in possession of a loaded firearm, which had an LED flashlight and red laser sight attached, and marijuana. He, and the vehicle's driver, Naomi Cheikhali, were placed under arrest without further incident.

 Arthur, 23, was charged with second- and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm and two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana.

Cheikhali, 19, was charged with reckless driving and second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana.

Arthur and Cheikhali were arraigned on Wednesday in Mineola.