Massapequa Park man threw bricks at garbage truck, pepper-sprayed workers, Nassau police say

An ongoing dispute with sanitation workers led to the arrest of a Massapequa Park man Tuesday morning after, police said, he threw bricks through the window of a garbage truck, then assaulted sanitation workers with pepper spray, as they collected trash on his block.

Nassau County police said Daniel Cooney, 59, was charged with third-degree criminal mischief, three counts of attempted second-degree assault and two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon following the incident.

Seventh Precinct officers responding to a call on Atlantic Avenue in Massapequa Park just before 8:30 a.m. Tuesday found three Town of Oyster Bay sanitation workers who said a man, later identified as Cooney, had thrown two bricks at the window of their truck, shattering it, police said.

The workers told police the assailant then went to the back of the truck and sprayed pepper spray at other workers.

"The victims were in fear of their physical safety," said a charging document against Cooney. Police said all of the workers declined medical attention.

Police said Wednesday it appears Cooney was "disgruntled" with the Town of Oyster Bay over sanitation rules and was involved in an ongoing dispute with sanitation workers.

Cooney was arraigned Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead before Judge Lisa Petrocelli. He was represented by Legal Aid, released with non-monetary restrictions and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. His next court date is April 26.

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.”