Cops: Drug suspect assaults detective after traffic stop

A homeless man was arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer during a drug arrest following a vehicle stop Sunday night in Hempstead, Nassau County police said.

Police said Julius Eatman, a passenger, was found to be in possession of cocaine, heroin and “a large sum of cash” during the stop of a suspicious vehicle by Nassau detectives on Hilton Avenue at about 9:30 p.m.

Police said that as detectives tried to arrest Eatman, 51, he “fought with them” — causing injuries to the hand of one of the detectives. Both Eatman and the detective were transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Eatman was charged with second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and a parole violation. He faces arraignment in First District Court in Hempstead as soon as medically practical, police said.

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.”