Man charged in Copiague carjacking, Suffolk police say

A Copiague man was arrested following a canine and aviation search after, police said, he carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint late Wednesday.

Marquese King, 24, was arrested after being found on Cabota Avenue at 10:25 p.m., about 40 minutes after police said he stole a car at gunpoint on nearby Ferraris Street. King was charged with first-degree robbery and fourth-degree criminal mischief. He was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in First District Court in Central Islip, but information was not available online.

Police said that at about 9:45 p.m. King approached a 20-year-old Copiague man sitting in a 2007 Toyota on the 300 block of Ferraris Street, displayed a handgun and demanded the vehicle. The victim fled on foot, police said. Police said King took the vehicle.

But, police said, King ended up on foot and didn’t get very far. He was pursued by First Precinct officers, canine officers and a police helicopter, who soon tracked him down, according to police.

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.”