LI CRIME BRIEFS

SOUTHAMPTON/Partial skeletal remains of unknown origin wash ashore

Skeletal remains from an unknown source washed ashore on a beach between Ponquogue Beach Pavilion and Road I in Southhampton yesterday, police said.

At about 10:34 a.m., police received a report that a suspicious object had floated onto the beach, according to officials.

Southampton Town police officers, along with officers from the Southampton Town Bay Constable unit, responded and found partial skeletal remains.

Southampton Town detectives examined and later removed the items. The remains will be transported to the Suffolk County medical examiner's office for further analysis, police said.

- YAMICHE ALCINDOR

RHODE ISLAND/Mastic man accused of raping boy, 11, arraigned

A Mastic man charged with raping an 11-year-old boy in Westerly, R.I., has been ordered held without bail.

Authorities say Ian P. Thornton, 42, was arraigned Monday on three counts of first-degree child molestation.

Police extradited Thornton from New York on a warrant Friday.

In Rhode Island, first-degree child molestation carries a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

- AP

MEDFORD/Cyclist, 15, seriously injured after being struck by car

A 15-year-old boy on a bicycle was struck by a car and seriously injured in Medford, police said yesterday.

The incident occurred at about 6 p.m. Tuesday as the teen pedaled along Jamaica Avenue.

Suffolk County police said the teen was struck by a 2007 Dodge headed east on Jamaica. Police said the driver, whose identity was not released, stopped immediately and called 911. No charges were filed.

Police said the teen was taken to Stony Brook University Medical Center with serious head injuries.

- JOHN VALENTI

HUNTINGTON STATION/Unlicensed driver arrested after near-fatal crash

Suffolk Police said they arrested an unlicensed driver after a near-fatal crash, in Huntington Station Wednesday, between his truck and a motorcyclist who's clinging to life.

The crash happened at about 4:20 p.m. when the truck driver, Cesar Gomez, failed to yield to the motorcyclist while Gomez tried to make a left turn from Jericho Turnpike onto Melville Road.

Motorcyclist Joseph Martinez, 23, of Huntington Station, was at Huntington Hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said.

Gomez, 46, also of Huntington Station, was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and ticketed for failure to yield the right of way, police said.

- MATTHEW CHAYES