Man charged with murder in Commack brawl

Suffolk County detectives Friday night arrested a Brentwood man, charging him with murder for his role in a fatal brawl at a Commack motel last year, police said.

Carlos J. Rodriguez, 20, was arrested without incident outside his Grand Boulevard home, according to Det. Sgt. William Lamb. A Suffolk court issued the arrest warrant on a charge of second-degree murder on Thursday after witnesses to the fight testified before a Suffolk grand jury.

Lamb said Rodriguez and the victim, Stanley Davis, 18, both lived in Brentwood and knew each other, but it was unclear what triggered the fight that left two stabbed and others injured.

Fourth Precinct officers were called before dawn on Nov. 13 to the Howard Johnson motel on Moreland Road, where an alcohol-fueled fight had broken out among dozens attending a birthday party that filled two rooms, police said.

Davis was stabbed inside one of the rooms and died at Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip about 2 1/2 hours after officers arrived at the scene, police said.

Det. Lt. Gerard Pelkofsky, commanding officer of the Homicide Squad, said then that many at the party told investigators they didn't see what happened or weren't there when Davis was stabbed.

Rodriguez also was charged with felony assault in the stabbing of Jason Iglesias, 20, of Brentwood, during the fight.

Rodriguez will be held until his arraignment in a Riverhead courtroom on Tuesday, police said.