LONG ISLAND CRIME BRIEFS

RIVERHEAD

Woman, 67, attacked in

shopping center restroom

Police are investigating an attack on a woman in a public restroom Tuesday at Tanger Outlets in Riverhead.

The 67-year-old victim reported that her attacker must have been hiding, and that as she was coming out of her stall he pushed her back in, "got behind her, placing one of his arms around her neck, and tried to force her to the floor," Town of Riverhead police said in a release.

The woman was "screaming for help" when another woman entered the bathroom and then left and "notified personnel at a nearby store" of the attack, police said.

Police responded to the 911 call at around noon.

Described as "young looking," slim, clean-shaven and around 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, the man fled on foot toward River Road and eluded police.

Anyone with information about the attack can call Riverhead police at 631-727-4500.

ROSLYN HEIGHTS

Man who died in crash

had been reported missing

The 98-year-old man killed after his vehicle and a Mack dump truck collided in Roslyn Heights is the same Philadelphia man reported missing by Philadelphia police, the law-enforcement agency confirmed yesterday.

Frank Winfrey, reported missing Monday by Philadelphia police, was driving a 1995 burgundy Chevrolet Tahoe south on Roslyn Road at about 5:40 a.m. Tuesday when it collided with the truck going west on Powerhouse Road, Nassau County police said.

The truck careened into a utility pole, police said.

Winfrey was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead at 6:14 a.m., police said.

The truck driver, 39, and his passenger, 43, were treated for minor injuries at a hospital, police said.

Philadelphia police had issued a public alert just before 9:30 a.m. Tuesday for Winfrey, a department spokeswoman said yesterday. The alert said Winfrey suffers from dementia and was reported missing since 2:30 p.m. Monday, when he left his home to run errands.

Winfrey was formerly a sergeant with Philadelphia police and retired in 1966, a department spokeswoman said.

MASSAPEQUA

Store employee accused

of arson, burglary

A 23-year-old Massapequa man was arrested Tuesday and charged with a June burglary at Westfield Sunrise Mall during which, police said, he locked himself in a bathroom at closing time, then set a fire in an attempt to hide his crime.

Denzel Jones, of 27 Oakley Ave., was arrested on Staten Island and charged with second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and first-degree reckless endangerment, Nassau police said.

Police said that on June 30, Jones, employed as a stockperson at Forever 21 at the East Massapequa mall, "secreted himself in the stockroom bathroom" at closing time, and after everyone left the store and the alarm had been set, took cash from the cash box and set fire to a rack of clothing. He fled through a rear door, setting off a burglary alarm, police said.

The fire was extinguished by a sprinkler system, and no one was injured.

Jones faced arraignment yesterday in First District Court in Hempstead.