Long Island Briefs

NEW YORK/Allegedly fraudulent campaign donations sent to charity

Up to $6,600 that the head of a Long Island City company accused last week of bank fraud gave to Democrats and the Obama campaign in 2008 will be donated to charity, according to party officials.

Courtney Dupree and three other officers in GDC Acquisitions - including Frank Patello of East Williston - were accused in federal court in Brooklyn of cooking the books to fraudulently get a $21-million loan.

Dupree, 41, a former University of North Carolina basketball player, hosted a fundraiser at his Manhattan apartment for then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2008 and gave $2,300 to Obama's campaign and another $2,300 to the Democratic National Committee. An additional $2,000 went to Obama under Dupree's name and ZIP code, but identified the donor as a Syracuse school employee.

The money is being given to charity "out of an abundance of caution," one official said. - JOHN RILEY

DEER PARK/Quad crash claims teen

A Deer Park teen who lost control of an all-terrain vehicle and struck a utility pole in Wyandanch was pronounced dead Friday night, Suffolk police said.

Darrell Waite, 17, had been taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip in critical condition following the crash last Monday at Little East Neck Road and Garden City Avenue, police said.

Police said Waite was operating a 2000 Yamaha quad runner ATV south on Little East Neck Road when he attempted to turn left onto Garden City Avenue - but instead crashed into a pole on the northeast corner.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check, according to police.

Waite died Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Stony Brook University Medical Center, police said.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the crash to contact First Squad detectives at 631-854-8152. - YAMICHE ALCINDOR

VALLEY STREAM/Armed burglar gets away

Armed burglar gets away

Nassau County police are investigating a burglary that happened just after noon Sunday in Valley Stream.

According to police, a 36-year-old man was alone at his Carroll Avenue home when he heard someone banging on his rear door and went to investigate. When he opened a sliding door, police said, he was confronted by a man with an automatic handgun who forced the victim back in the house.

The armed man demanded money and the victim, after producing several dollars, fled out the sliding door and ran into the street yelling for help. A teenager who heard the screams called police and the armed man fled the scene. The victim was not injured, police said.

The suspect is a male, 5-foot-8, with a thin build and crooked yellow teeth, police said. He was wearing a blue shirt and blue jeans, police said, and had a tan bandage wrapped from his chin to the top of his head. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-244-TIPS.

- Will Van Sant