By
ELLEN YAN
An
off-duty Suffolk village police officer accused of showing his badge before
shoving a pedestrian to the ground was arraigned Wednesday on a harassment
charge stemming from the April incident, Nassau police said.
The
officer, Dennis Guariglia, 35, was driving on Veterans Boulevard in Massapequa
just before 12:30 a.m. April 5 when he stopped his Jeep Cherokee in front of a
pedestrian who was crossing the roadway with at least one other person,
according to the Nassau police complaint.
The
victim told a detective the driver made a derogatory comment, displayed a
police badge and pushed him, the court document said.
The
pedestrian fell, broke his eyeglasses and suffered a bump to the back of his
head and elbow scrapes, Nassau police said. He was treated for minor injuries
at a hospital, police said.
Guariglia
surrendered April 22 and pleaded not guilty Wednesday to second-degree
harassment, a violation. He was released on his own recognizance.
An
order of protection was issued against him, said Richard Lerner of Carle Place,
the attorney representing him for the arraignment, but the judge did not order
his gun to be taken away because he is a police officer.
Lerner
said Guariglia works for a Suffolk village but was not sure where.
Attempts
to reach Guariglia at his Kings Park home were unsuccessful.
News
12 Long Island said he works for Lloyd Harbor Village. Police Chief Charles
Flynn and several village trustees did not return calls. Trustees Leland Deane
and Matt Strunk did not comment, saying they did not know about the arrest.
Guariglia
told investigators he was at the scene on that day and had gotten into an
"altercation" with the pedestrian but drove off, thinking the matter
was over, Nassau police said.
The
village officer said he did not know the pedestrian, Lerner said.
Other
details, including what set off the alleged confrontation, were not available
Wednesday.
