Burglary suspect charged with attempted murder of cops

A Valley Stream man was arrested in the attempted murder of two police officers after he tried to run over the officers while evading arrest on burglary charges, Nassau police said.

In addition to the two attempted murder charges, Richard Maldonado, 48, of 135 Copiague St., faces four counts of burglary and one charge each of criminal possession of stolen property and identity theft, police said.

A Fifth Precinct officer was on routine patrol when he saw an unoccupied gray Chrysler Pacifica with a New Jersey license plate in front of a Copiague Street home. The officer recognized the car as one that was linked to a burglary the day before in Valley Stream, police said.

The officer notified investigators that he had located the vehicle and plainclothes officers of the Fifth Precinct, in an unmarked police car, set up a detail to watch the Chrysler.

At 3:30 p.m., after Maldonado left the Copiague Street residence and got into the Chrysler -- which turned out to be a stolen car -- two plainclothes officers identified themselves as police officers and tried to stop him, police said.

At that point Maldonado tried to run over the officers and fled the scene toward New York City, police said.

At 4:15 p.m. the defendant was arrested by New York City police on the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens after a notification was broadcast. No one was injured in the attempted arrest by Nassau police or the subsequent arrest by NYPD officers.

Maldonado was scheduled for arraignment Thursday in First District Court, Hempstead.

He faces two counts of attempted murder of a police officer; four counts of burglary for crimes in Valley Stream on April 11, 15, and 18, and May 13; criminal possession of stolen property -- the Chrysler Pacifica, which was stolen in New York City on March 5; and identity theft, in connection with items stolen in an April 18 burglary, police said.

By BY JOSEPH MALLIA
Posted Thursday, May 15, 2008

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