Crime

Driver hit school bus in South Farmingdale, charged with DWI, Nassau police say

By John Valentijohn.valenti@newsday.com

A Farmingdale man was charged with driving while intoxicated after police said he struck a school bus, then lunged at officers trying to arrest him Monday.

Nassau County police said the collision occurred near the intersection of 9th Avenue and Woodward Parkway in South Farmingdale at about 6:40 p.m. and said a police officer suffered a left shoulder injury during the investigation and arrest and was treated at a hospital.

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A Farmingdale man was charged with driving while intoxicated after police said he struck a school bus, then lunged at officers trying to arrest him Monday.

Nassau County police said the collision occurred near the intersection of 9th Avenue and Woodward Parkway in South Farmingdale at about 6:40 p.m. and said a police officer suffered a left shoulder injury during the investigation and arrest and was treated at a hospital.

A 68-year-old male driver was the only person aboard the bus and was not injured, police said.

Police said Richard Cirillo, 42, was driving a Honda CRV that crashed into the bus and said an investigation determined he was intoxicated.

Police said Cirillo lunged at officers trying to arrest him, then was involved in a struggle with officers and refused to comply with their orders not to resist.

Cirillo was charged with driving while intoxicated, second-degree assault, resisting arrest and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.

He faces arraignment Tuesday in First District Court in Hempstead. It was not immediately clear if he was represented by counsel.

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.”