By:Anthony Rifilato
Police arrested Alex Pichardo, 18, of 2923 Bayview Ave., after police said Pichardo was one of three men who were involved in a verbal altercation with a Freeport teen outside the McDonald's at 157 East Merrick Rd. in Freeport at 2:45 p.m. on Feb. 9.
The argument escalated, police said, and quickly "turned ugly" when the men began pushing and shoving the 15-year-old. One of the men, possibly Pichardo, produced a box cutter and slashed the teen's neck, while the other two pummeled him with their fists and feet.
"It just blew up," Lt. Andrew Fal said of the assault. "It was more spontaneous than anything."
Freeport police officers who were patrolling the area apprehended the three men shortly after the assault and recovered the box cutter from Pichardo. He was arrested and charged with first-degree gang assault. The two others, Delvis Holguin, 18, of 2 Sportsman Ave. in Freeport, and Julio Escalante, 18, of 19 N. Park Ave. in Rockville Centre, were also charged with first-degree gang assault. All three were arraigned at First District Court in Hempstead on Feb. 10.
The victim was admitted to Nassau University Medical Center with a serious throat laceration.
Police said the three men are affiliated with the Latin Kings gang. This isn't the first time Pichardo, a former Baldwin High School student, has been involved in a gang assault. In 2002, he was one of several men arrested in the stabbing of two Baldwin High School students during a gang assault by members of the Latin Kings. In that incident, Pichardo was charged with first-degree gang assault.
Last year, Pichardo was one of eight Nassau County inmates charged with setting a fire in the jail. He was charged with second-degree arson.
