By Karenlyn Barone
The man's widow could not be reached for comment, but Malcolm Sommer, the man's father-in-law, said the day of the incident, "We're confused. We have no idea of what transpired."
According to Detective Lt. Dennis Farrell of the Nassau County Homicide Squad, at 9:35 a.m. on Aug. 4, Lawrence Fleissig, 38, of 411 Wannamaker St. in Oceanside, entered the Greenpoint Savings Bank at 2025 Park St. in Atlantic Beach and demanded of the teller, "Give me all your $100 bills." According to Farrell, Fleissig neither suggested he had a weapon nor produced one.
After the teller placed the bills in what Farrell described as a multi-colored gift bag, the suspect left the bank, walked one block west and got into a car. The teller, meanwhile, Farrell said, alerted police and provided them with a description of the suspect and the car he drove away in, a silver 2001 Nissan Altima.
Sgt. Daniel Collins, deputy commanding officer of the Public Information Office, said that the suspect then fled north over the Atlantic Beach Bridge toward Route 878. "He traveled through the Five Towns, into East Rockaway," Collins said.
A short time later, Farrell said, "A police unit spotted the vehicle on Main Street in East Rockaway and a chase ensued, culminating in the car entering the canal." He reported that Fleissig drove through the streets of East Rockaway's Bay Park, aware that he was being followed, and then arrived at three boat launches that led into the Bay Park canal.
"The suspect made a left turn and drove into the water," said Farrell. Asked to estimate the speed of the chase, Farrell said Fleissig drove at about 50 mph while being pursued and "hit the water at about 30 miles per hour."
Eyewitness Sonny Merckling, who was at the canal that morning fishing, said, "I saw a big splash. The car went right in. The driver didn't even hit the brakes."
With the car partially afloat in about 12 feet of murky water, Farrell said, officers drew their weapons and "told the suspect to get out of the car."
Farrell said that Fleissig appeared to have something in his hand, which turned out to be a cellular phone, but that he did not comply with officers' request to get out of the car. Eventually, Farrell said, three officers entered the water and "attempted to get the man out." Marine Bureau divers also arrived on the scene, dispatched from their headquarters at the south end of Bay Park.
"[Fleissig] never moved. He was floating with the water," said Merckling. "The car drifted for 20 to 25 minutes, at least. The victim was not moving."
"There was no effort on the part of the driver to exit the vehicle," said Farrell.
Fleissig was removed by police divers and taken to South Nassau Communities Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:01 a.m. An autopsy report is expected within a few days.
At 1:35 that afternoon, the car was pulled from the water by police officials, its roof dented and its trunk open. Detective Michael Bitsko of the Nassau County Police Information Bureau said, "When we opened the car doors, the money was in there. The proceeds were in the car, all over the place."
According to Detective Sgt. John Giambrone, commanding officer of the Nassau County Robbery Squad, the $100 bills allegedly taken from the bank totaled about $6,000.
Greenpoint Savings Bank refused to comment.
When the crime unit finished its on-site investigation of the vehicle, it was removed to Fleet Services Bureau on West Grumman Road in Bethpage, where the robbery squad took control of the car, Farrell said.
After the victim's identity was released, Detective Milton Aponte told the Herald, "We have notified his wife. To the best of my knowledge, he has no prior arrests."
Hours after the incident, people in Fleissig's neighborhood congregated at the foot of his driveway, visibly confused and upset. They refused to speak with the Herald.
A local business owner, who did not want to be identified, said, "I'm shocked that it happened. I've known him as a father, a husband and a nice guy whenever he was in here. He borrowed $60 from me last week. He never did that before."
Brian T. Dessart, Mike Schnitzel and Joe Kellard contributed to this story. Comments about it? KBarone@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 202.bery suspect dies in plunge into East Rockaway canal
