Crime & Safety

Crimes Nearby: Police Nab Man With 69 License Suspensions, Revocations

A look at police incidents reported this week from around the region.

A Copiague man was arrested Thursday after police determined that his drivers license had been suspended or revoked 69 times.

Jaquan Joas was charged with Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 1st Degree, Resisting Arrest, False Personation and Criminal Possession of Marijuana 5th Degree.

Police said Joas was stopped after he failed to signal at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Pine Aire Drive in Brentwood. Upon being stopped by Officer Sal Gigante, Joas initially provided a fake name and then fled on foot. After a brief pursuit, Joas was taken into custody.

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Following his arrest, police determined that Joas had numerous suspensions and revocations on his license.

• Cab Driver Killed

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Suffolk Police are investigating a single-car crash that killed a cab driver in Setauket Friday morning.

According to police, Wayne Bracone was driving a cab for Islandwide Taxi heading westbound on Main Street when the 2001 Ford struck a utility pole near Gnarled Hollow Road.

Bracone, 58, of Ridge, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check and police are continuing their investigation. Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. 

• Stolen Credit Card Suspects Sought

Suffolk Police are seeking the public’s help in locating two people they said stole a credit card number to make purchases in several stores across the county.

Police said Heidi Custor and Ray Minori were employees of a Shirley home improvement company when they obtained a company credit card number and used it without permission to purchase items from Lowe’s in April. It is believed they rang up charges of more than $15,000.

Custor, 39, and Minori, 38, were dismissed from their jobs for an unrelated reason and police believe the couple is traveling together and is known to frequent parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. Their last known address was 91 Rugby Drive in Shirley.

Custor is described by police as white, 5 feet 9 inches tall, 180 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. Minori is described as white, 5 feet 8 inches tall, 186 pounds with black hair and blue eyes.

Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.


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