Man arrested in East Meadow robbery

An Islip Terrace man was arrested Friday evening after snatching the pocketbook of a woman as she returned to her East Meadow home, Nassau County police said.

Rick Scocozza, 48, of East Lynbrook Street, was arrested after a brief pursuit by police during which he jumped out of his car on the Southern State Parkway and ran across lanes of traffic, authorities said.

The incident began shortly before 5 p.m. when the unidentified victim, a 61-year-old woman, returned to her home on Norman Drive and was confronted by Scocozza, who offered to help carry her packages, police said.

When the woman declined, Scocozza reportedly demanded the woman's pocketbook. After a brief struggle, he pulled the pocketbook off the victim's shoulder and pushed her to the ground, police said. The woman was not injured.

Scocozza then fled westbound on Front Street in a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu heading, police said. Plainclothes officers from the First Precinct spotted the car heading south on Merrick Avenue and followed the vehicle onto the westbound Southern State.

With help from uniformed officers, Scocozza's vehicle was stopped on the parkway shortly thereafter. The suspect then allegedly fled on foot through the eastbound lanes of traffic.

After another brief pursuit, Scocozza struggled with officers and was arrested. There were no injuries.

Scocozza was charged with third-degree robbery and resisting arrest. He was scheduled to be arraigned Saturday in First District Court in Hempstead.