Man arrested after striking, injuring two pedestrians, police say

A 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault after police said he struck and injured two pedestrians while trying to avoid a crash Sunday night in Ronkonkoma.

Suffolk County police said the driver, Eric Boemper, of Victory Drive, Ronkonkoma, was charged with third-degree assault and issued a field appearance ticket to appear at arraignment at a later date in First District Court, Central Islip, after the crash at the intersection of Victory Drive and North 7th Street at about 7:25 p.m.

Police said Boemper was driving a 2006 Mazda 3 west on Victory Drive "at a high rate of speed" when he swerved to avoid another vehicle, crashed into a pole and the two pedestrians — identified only as a 20-year-old man and an 18-year-old man.

The two victims were both transported to Stony Brook University Hospital with what police said were injuries that were not life-threatening. Additional details were not immediately available.

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.”