Freeport man charged in box-cutter slashing

A vicious box-cutter slashing, stemming from an ongoing dispute, led to the arrest of a Freeport man on Tuesday, charged with two counts of first-degree assault and criminal possession of a weapon, Nassau County police said.

Police said the defendant, identified as Jose Rodriguez, 26, of 9 S. Bay Ave., surrendered to officers at the First Precinct in Baldwin.

He now faces arraignment Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead.

Police said the attack took place at about 3:30 p.m. July 10, in Freeport.

The victim, identified as a 23-year-old man, was sitting in front of his house on North Long Beach Avenue when, police said, Rodriguez, described as "a person with whom he has had an ongoing disagreement," walked up and slashed the victim with a box cutter knife concealed in his hand. The victim suffered "a deep laceration" from his cheek to his chin that required 60 stitches from a plastic surgeon to close, police said.

The nature of the "ongoing disagreement" was not characterized by 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.”