Cops: Shot fired in LIE road rage incident

A Brooklyn man shot at another motorist on the Long Island Expressway on Friday, then chased after the other car to the Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in Brentwood, Suffolk sheriffs said.

Robert Paciullo, 62, and another car with three people in their 20s were in a "road rage" dispute that may have gone on for about two eastbound exits on the LIE, said Michael Sharkey, the sheriffs' chief of staff.

The other driver, a woman whose name was not released, thought Paciullo had cut her off, he said. Rude gestures were exchanged, followed by a verbal argument. Paciullo then threw a water bottle at the other car, Sharkey said.

As they neared Exit 53 in Brentwood, Paciullo fired a .38-cal. revolver from his 2011 gray Honda SUV at the other car, a blueish-black 2003 Honda Civic, Sharkey said.

"They said when they saw the weapon, they exited the expressway, and he followed them off the expressway," Sharkey said. "They wound up driving into the Pilgrim State grounds . . . and that's where the arrest was made."

Pilgrim security officers in their car stopped both vehicles, Sharkey said, and within minutes, sheriffs arrived in response to an anonymous 911 call about the gunfire. It's not clear where the bullet ended up, but no one was injured, Sharkey said.

The gun, with an empty shell casing inside, was found on the center console of Paciullo's SUV, sheriffs said.

Paciullo was held overnight pending arraignment Saturday on a felony charge of reckless endangerment and a misdemeanor charge of menacing.

Anyone with information may call the sheriff's criminal investigations bureau at 631-852-2289.