By: JOSEPH KELLARD
Thomas Barella, 16, of Island Park, was arrested and charged with throwing the reindeer at a Metropolitan Suburban Bus Authority bus, and two other youths, a 12-year-old from Island Park and a 15-year-old from Long Beach, were arrested and charged with acting in concert with Barella last Tuesday.
Police described the reindeer as a foot long and a foot high, made of wood and aluminum and wrapped in artificial Christmas tree material.
According to detectives, the three suspects stood in the path of the bus, which was southbound on Long Beach Road, near Lorraine Road, at about 8:30 p.m., when Barella allegedly threw the ornament at the vehicle. According to Detective Lt. Gregory Detwiller, commander of the Fourth Squad, the reindeer struck the destination sign above the windshield, shattering the interior glass behind it, which rained down on the bus driver, whom Detwiller identified only as a 47-year-old man. Splinters of glass lodged in the driver's left eye, though he was able to maintain control of the vehicle and bring it to a stop, Detwiller said. There were two passengers onboard, and neither was injured.
"[Thomas Barella] threw [the reindeer] at the bus, striking the glass destination panel above the windshield, causing that glass to shatter and spray [the bus driver's] face with glass fragments," Detwiller said.
At the moment of the incident, Nassau County police officer Frank Deresto happened to be patrolling Long Beach Road, heading northbound, and reportedly saw three youths in the road. The subjects fled, and Deresto stopped to talk to the bus driver, who told the officer what had happened. Deresto notified other officers in the area, who found the suspects about 20 minutes later. They were positively identified by the driver, Detwiller said.
Detwiller declined to reveal the relationship among the three youths, concerned that the juveniles' identities could become known.
Barella was charged with second-degree assault and third-degree criminal mischief - having caused damage in excess of $1,000 to the bus - and was arraigned by Judge David Gross at First District Court in Hempstead. The two juveniles will report to family court.
The bus driver was transported to South Nassau University Hospital for treatment. While Detwiller was unable to comment specifically on the victim's condition, the detective said the injury was not so severe that he might lose his eye.
Detwiller said that police were unsure where the subjects obtained the ornament, adding, "If anyone can come forward and let us know, there would be additional charges as to larceny and damage to the reindeer."
While the reindeer was relatively small, it was enough to break glass "and bring about a serious charge of intentionally injuring the operator of a commercial vehicle," Detwiller explained "That falls under the statute of assault, second degree."
The incident follows in the wake of one in Suffolk County on Nov. 13 in which an 18-year-old Huntington man allegedly threw a 20-pound turkey through the windshield of a car, severely injuring a Lake Ronkonkoma woman. Detwiller said that incidents in which youths throw large objects at moving vehicles are "pretty uncommon ... I can't remember another incident like this under my command."
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