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A man and his teenage son have been formally charged in connection with a crash and subsequent brawl that broke out on a busy Long Island roadway.
Patrick O’Connor, age 38, his son James O’Connor, age 19, and a minor were all arraigned on second-degree assault and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Thursday, Jan. 4.
Prosecutors said a fight between Patrick O’Connor and his cousin days earlier led to the dramatic scene that played out on Sunrise Highway in North Lindenhurst on Wednesday, Dec. 20.
That’s when things escalated with James O’Connor using his Toyota Tundra pickup truck to ram another truck being driven by the cousin and his father, according to investigators.
O’Connor’s vehicle – in which his younger siblings, ages 4, 12, and 16 were also traveling – flipped onto its side. None of the children were injured.
Following the crash, Patrick O’Connor began repeatedly striking the cousin with a wooden stick, prosecutors said.
James O’Connor allegedly assaulted the cousin while his father and the minor continued striking him with the sticks.
When the cousin’s brother showed up to the scene, he was similarly attacked by the defendants, investigators said.
All three then fled the scene before being arrested by Suffolk County Police later that day.
One victim suffered two black eyes and had to get staples on his head. He also had significant bruising and pain in his shoulder and back.
The second victim suffered an abrasion to his lip, bruising and cuts to his hands, and back pain.
“As alleged, these defendants brazenly began a physical brawl in the middle of Sunrise Highway, putting their family and the public at serious risk of harm,” said Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.
“Fortunately, there were not more serious injuries or casualties that resulted out of this violent feud.”
Both men and the minor are charged with multiple counts of assault.
James O’Connor is additionally charged with reckless endangerment, endangering the welfare of a child, and leaving the scene of an incident.
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