Drunk LI Driver Who Left Passenger To Die Adds Two Years To Prison Term With Witness Threat: DA
A Long Island man who fled a drunken crash that killed his passenger got an extra two years on his prison term Tuesday, Oct. 13 after threatening a witness, authorities said.
Elvin Maradiaga Ortiz, 35, of Hempstead, was sentenced to 21 years behind bars, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office said. He was initially supposed to get 19 years as part of a plea deal, according to authorities.
However, Ortiz’s long list of crimes grew even further when he was charged with witness intimidation, which tacked on the extra two years, the DA’s office said.
Investigators said Ortiz threatened t…
687-Pound Cocaine Bust In Plainview Has Traffickers Facing Life In Prison: Authorities
Two Florida men face up to 25 years to life in prison after police found more than 300 kilograms of cocaine in a pickup truck outside a Long Island hotel, prosecutors said.
Daniel Santana, 36, and Michael Viera, 41, of DeLand, FL, were indicted Thursday, Oct. 8 on major trafficking and drug possession charges following the seizure in Plainview, the Nassau County District Attorney’s office said.
The investigation unfolded outside the Holiday Inn on Sunnyside Boulevard on Jan. 29, 2026, authorities said.
Detectives watched a black Dodge Ram pull into the parking lot near a white Mercedes-Ben…
Two Dogs Killed As Flames Engulf West Hempstead Home, Cause Remains A Mystery
Two dogs were killed in a house fire on Long Island on Tuesday, Oct. 6, and two residents were displaced, authorities said.
The Franklin Square and Munson Fire Department responded to a home on fire on Nassau Boulevard in West Hempstead just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, the department said in a Facebook post.
“Upon arrival, a substantial amount of fire was engulfing the exterior of the home with extension to the second floor,” firefighters wrote on Facebook.
Shortly after arrival, Engine 711 began operating two hose lines and quickly extinguished the flames, the department said. However, two dog…
Huntington Station Thieves Flee In Tesla Cybertruck After $4,000 Bloomingdale’s Theft: Cops
Two shoplifters took more than $4,000 worth of clothing from a Long Island store, then fled in a Tesla Cybertruck, police said Monday, Oct. 5.
The thieves hit Bloomingdale’s in Huntington Station on Sunday, Sept. 27, walking out with clothing worth approximately $4,100 around 11:20 a.m., the Suffolk County Police Department said.
Both men fled the scene in a silver Cybertruck, according to investigators. Though they were seen on surveillance cameras, police have been unable to identify them.
Authorities are offering a cash reward for tips that lead to an arrest in the case. Anyone with inf…
14-Year-Old Smithtown High Girl Stopped, Offered $300 By Creep In SUV: Police
A 14-year-old Long Island high school student was accosted by a bald man in an SUV, and now police are searching for the man.
The female student at Smithtown High School East was walking home Friday, Sept. 11 when she reached Lincoln Avenue and 6th Street in St. James, the Suffolk County Police Department said Thursday, Oct. 1.
At the intersection, a bald man between 40 and 50 years old driving a black Audi SUV parked in front of her, made an "inappropriate comment,” and offered her $300, police said.
Traffic cameras captured the man’s SUV on video, and he is wanted for child endangerment,…
Thief Hits Sayville Target For $4,600 In Tech Gear, Including Tablet And VR Headset: Police
A man stole $4,600 worth of merchandise from a Target on Long Island, and while he was caught on camera at the store, police are seeking the public’s help to identify him.
The man took an Apple iPad, a Nintendo Switch, and Meta Quest VR headsets from the store in Sayville on Saturday, June 27, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
Around 10:30 a.m., the man walked out of the store at 5750 Sunrise Highway without paying, police said. Cops asked for the public’s help on Friday, July 31, about one month after the robbery.
Suffolk County Crime Stoppers are offering a cash reward for tips …
Former Jericho Child Actor, 'Finding Prince Charming' Star Chad Spodick Dead At 42
Chad Spodick, who starred on Logo's first-ever all-day dating reality TV series "Finding Prince Charming," died suddenly at 42 years old.
Spodick's sister, Stacy, announced his death on Facebook this week, sharing a GoFundMe page launched to aid their mother, Felice.
Kate Werbowski, who launched the campaign, called Spodick's death "sudden and heartbreaking." She remembered Spodick as "the type of person who poured himself into others." The cause of death was not made public.
Spodick grew up on Long Island and worked as a child actor in Off Broadway plays in Manhattan, TV sh…
LI Native Tries To Dethrone 7-Day Jeopardy! Champ Friday Night
A Long Island native with a knack for literature, teaching, and even social media moderation is set to take her shot at trivia glory.
Hebah Uddin, who grew up on Long Island and now lives in Pittsburgh, will appear as a contestant on Jeopardy! Friday, Sept. 19.
Uddin, a PhD candidate in children’s and adolescent literature at the University of Pittsburgh, is also a published author.
In 2017, she released her debut novel, The Gauntlet, under the pen name Karuna Riazi through Simon & Schuster’s Salam Reads imprint. The book drew national praise for its groundbreaking representation…
Hit-And-Run Leaves Montauk Cyclist In ICU; Family Launches Fundraiser
A Long Island man known for his kindness and passion for cycling is fighting to recover after a hit-and-run crash left him critically injured.
Kyle Briand, of Montauk, was riding his bike on the night of Sunday, Aug. 10, when he was struck by a driver who fled the scene, his sister Amanda Corwin wrote on a GoFundMe page.
The cyclist was rushed by ambulance to Amagansett, where he was met by a medevac and flown to Stony Brook Hospital’s Trauma Center. He remains in the Intensive Care Unit.
Briand sustained a severe head injury, a broken arm, fractured orbital bone, concussion, stitches abov…
Here's What $5M Gets You On Long Island: From Waterfront Estates To Secluded Retreats
On Long Island, $5 million can mean a timeless waterfront compound, a state-of-the-art modern mansion, or a secluded hideaway in the woods — it all depends on where you look.
Here are five homes across Nassau and Suffolk counties, each with an asking price of $5 million or more.
$5M Montauk Retreat Surrounded By Lush Privacy
Zillow
Tucked away on nearly an acre in Montauk, this $5 million for-sale-by-owner listing offers both seclusion and potential.
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home, built in 1968, spans 2,200 square feet and sits back from the street, surrounded by mature vegetatio…
