Officials: Man punches correction officer

A Long Beach man charged with grand larceny and assault on two Nassau police officers punched a correction officer in the temple Friday while being fingerprinted after his arraignment at Nassau University Medical Center, officials said.

Richie Medina, 22, of East Hudson Street, was charged with assaulting a 20-year veteran correction officer at a secure psychiatric ward of the East Meadow hospital, said Elizabeth Loconsolo, counsel and spokeswoman for the Nassau County jail.

Medina's attorney could not be reached for comment.

Nassau police said Medina had struck two Fourth Precinct officers when he was taken into custody Thursday on charges related to a stolen tow truck. One officer hurt his knees when pushed down by Medina, police said, and the other's hand was punctured.

Police said the tow truck had been involved in two accidents in Island Park and Oceanside while Medina was driving it, adding that he drove away from both crash scenes.

The correction officer, whom authorities would not identify, was treated and released, said Brian Sullivan, president of the Nassau County Sheriff Officers Association.

"It underscores the dangerous nature of the job we perform every day," Sullivan said.

Loconsolo said Medina remains in the psychiatric ward of the hospital and will be in Nassau County Court Tuesday.

Court and police records show Medina is charged with second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, second-degree assault, obstructing governmental administration, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting.

Loconsolo said Medina may face more charges.

He was held on $7,500 cash or $15,000 bond.