Car crashes into Farmingdale home in near miss of homeowners

A 2019 Volkswagen Golf careened off a main Farmingdale street and through the first floor of a condominium early Thursday, police said, sending debris flying — and jarring awake the sleeping homeowners directly above.

Nassau County police said the driver, Calogero Messina, 20, of Astoria, Queens, fled the crash on foot and was later taken into custody before being released with an appearance ticket for next month.

Messina was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and leaving the scene of an incident, according to police.

He's accused in the 2:30 a.m. crash on Stratford Green, police said. 

The car went through a fence and tree line before hitting the ground-floor of the residence and ending up inside, according to police.

At the time of the crash, homeowner Stephen Laiosa said, he and his wife were asleep on the second floor of the condo.

He reflected Thursday on being awakened by the clatter, how "the bed just went up in the air," and then seeing a car had crashed its back end through his home below.

"At the instant it happened," Laiosa said, "I couldn't understand why the car was backward. And then I finally realized he did a 360-degree somersault in the air — and went into the house backward. The trunk first … He would have taken us out. He would’ve wiped us out."

Neither Laiosa nor his wife were injured although both remained shaken about what happened hours afterward and concerned about the longterm livability of their home.

Photos from the scene show a gaping hole through the outer side of the building, and the Golf, on its side, its hood ripped off and engine compartment facing the direction from which it came, lodged against an interior wall.

Interior walls, studs, insulation, and shattered cabinetry are scattered about, along with exterior siding.

Police have not detailed how investigators believe the crash occurred — or which road the Volkswagen was traveling on or how fast it was going.

Outside Messina's home Thursday afternoon, a woman identified as his mother declined to comment.

He is scheduled to return Sept. 22 to First District Court in Hempstead for arraignment, police said.

It was not immediately clear if he was represented by counsel.

With Cecilia Dowd

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”