Arrests in turkey toss
Five teenagers charged — one with assault — as victim remains unconscious and critically injured
BY DENISE M. BONILLA AND BILL MASON
STAFF WRITERS
November 19, 2004
Suffolk police last night arrested five teenagers who they said were involved in throwing a turkey through the windshield of a car driven by a Lake Ronkonkoma woman, 44, who was critically injured and has not regained consciousness.
Police did not immediately say why the youths, three boys and two girls, allegedly threw the turkey Saturday and whether they meant to harm anyone. The one who allegedly threw the turkey, Ryan Cushing, 18, of 122 Willow Ave., Huntington, was charged with first-degree assault. The others face lesser charges. More arrests are expected, police said.
The turkey smashed the windshield and struck the woman in the head, police said.
The victim's older sister said yesterday the woman suffered fractured cheekbones, a broken nose, a broken top jaw and a fractured lower jaw and required a tracheotomy. She was in critical but stable condition at Stony Brook University Hospital yesterday before undergoing six hours of surgery.
"We don't know what kind of cognitive damage is the result of this," the sister said. "So right now we're just praying."
The sister, who did not give her name, spoke at a news conference earlier yesterday.
Chief of Detectives Kenneth Rau said police were investigating at least seven "youthful" men and women who were captured buying the turkey on surveillance tapes in a Waldbaum's on Portion Road. The purchases were made using a credit card that had been stolen earlier that night from a vehicle parked outside the Island 16 movie theater in Holtsville, he said.
Cushing also was charged with reckless endangerment, forgery, criminal mischief and criminal possession of stolen property. Jack Cutrone, 18, of 18 Berkeley Ave., Selden; Steven Manzolina, 17, of 106 N. Evergreen Ave., Selden; Amanda McDonald, 17, of 298 Magnolia Dr., Selden; and Rachel MacDonald, 17, of 21 Shearwater Way, Centereach, were charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Manzolina also was charged with grand larceny.
At the home of Amanda McDonald, a man who identified himself as a family friend declined to comment. The others could not be reached.
Five teenagers charged — one with assault — as victim remains unconscious and critically injured
BY DENISE M. BONILLA AND BILL MASON
STAFF WRITERS
November 19, 2004
Suffolk police last night arrested five teenagers who they said were involved in throwing a turkey through the windshield of a car driven by a Lake Ronkonkoma woman, 44, who was critically injured and has not regained consciousness.
Police did not immediately say why the youths, three boys and two girls, allegedly threw the turkey Saturday and whether they meant to harm anyone. The one who allegedly threw the turkey, Ryan Cushing, 18, of 122 Willow Ave., Huntington, was charged with first-degree assault. The others face lesser charges. More arrests are expected, police said.
The turkey smashed the windshield and struck the woman in the head, police said.
The victim's older sister said yesterday the woman suffered fractured cheekbones, a broken nose, a broken top jaw and a fractured lower jaw and required a tracheotomy. She was in critical but stable condition at Stony Brook University Hospital yesterday before undergoing six hours of surgery.
"We don't know what kind of cognitive damage is the result of this," the sister said. "So right now we're just praying."
The sister, who did not give her name, spoke at a news conference earlier yesterday.
Chief of Detectives Kenneth Rau said police were investigating at least seven "youthful" men and women who were captured buying the turkey on surveillance tapes in a Waldbaum's on Portion Road. The purchases were made using a credit card that had been stolen earlier that night from a vehicle parked outside the Island 16 movie theater in Holtsville, he said.
Cushing also was charged with reckless endangerment, forgery, criminal mischief and criminal possession of stolen property. Jack Cutrone, 18, of 18 Berkeley Ave., Selden; Steven Manzolina, 17, of 106 N. Evergreen Ave., Selden; Amanda McDonald, 17, of 298 Magnolia Dr., Selden; and Rachel MacDonald, 17, of 21 Shearwater Way, Centereach, were charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Manzolina also was charged with grand larceny.
At the home of Amanda McDonald, a man who identified himself as a family friend declined to comment. The others could not be reached.
