Long Island briefs

MASTIC BEACH

Cops seek driver in hit-run

crash that injures pedestrian

Suffolk police detectives are investigating a hit-and-run crash yesterday morning in Mastic Beach that left a pedestrian critically injured.

The accident happened about 9:40 a.m. on Mastic Beach Road, 100 feet north of Longfellow Drive, police said.

Seventh Precinct officers responded at "after a 911 caller reported that a pedestrian was lying in a wooded area on the side of the road," police said in a release.

Officers found the victim, Michael Walstrum, 37, of Mastic Beach, had been struck by a vehicle. Mastic Beach Ambulance Company transported him to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue. He was listed in critical condition.

The vehicle, which went south on Mastic Beach Road, "is believed to be metallic blue with front-end damage and front passenger side body damage," police said.

ROOSEVELT

DA: Man charged in

criminal neglect of dogs

Three pit bull mixes in Roosevelt were found with so many bloody sores and facial swelling that authorities arrested their owner on charges of criminal neglect, District Attorney Kathleen Rice said yesterday.

Shawn Christopher, 41, of Roosevelt, was arraigned on three misdemeanor counts of criminal animal neglect and fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Christopher was released and required to report regularly to probation. He faces up to 1 year in jail on each count.

Rice said a tip to her animal crimes unit led her authorities to Christopher's home at 21 Thoma Place, where they found Angie, a 2-year-old dog, with blistered skin, bloody and raw open sores, cracked paws and severe swelling to the face and eyes.

Detectives discovered similar injuries on her two puppies, 7-month-old Shiloh and Maddox, prosecutors said.

The dogs were suffering from advanced stages of mange, untreated for months. Authorities took them to the Hempstead Town Animal Shelter in Wantagh, Rice said. The North Shore Animal League has agreed to take in the dogs during treatment, then find new owners.

Christopher could not be reached for comment.

This month, Rice started a countywide Council on Animal Protection & Safety for local government and nonprofit agencies to help coordinate animal-related initiatives.

Suspected animal abuse may be reported to the animal crimes unit by calling the 24-hour animal crimes tip line 516-571-2245, filling in a complaint form at nassauda.org, emailing AnimalCrimesUnit@nassauda.org or going to the district attorney's criminal complaint unit at 272 Old Country Rd. in Mineola. Call 911 in cases of emergency or danger.

FLANDERS

Suffolk DA: Man held

on drug, weapons charges

A Flanders man is being held without bail after pleading not guilty after his arrest last week on drug and weapons charges, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said in a statement yesterday.

Faustino Juarez was arrested Friday at 6:15 a.m. by detectives from the East End Drug Task Force and the Southampton Town police department's emergency services team Friday at his home on Riverside Drive.

The bust, which also used a Suffolk Sheriff's Office K-9 unit, resulted in the seizure of 400 grams of weapons, drugs and cash, officials said.

"This was a long-term investigation of a very active drug dealer in the community, a defendant with an extensive criminal history who had a loaded weapon," Spota said.