Cop Assaulted in Hicksville by Fleeing Shoplifter

A Wading River man who had just taken a home theatre device from the Sears Store on Broadway fled across Broadway and was confronted by a Nassau County Police officer, police said.

The defendant attacked the officer before being subdued in the parking lot of the Broadway mall, police said Saturday.

According to officers, the Charles Cimino, 43, of 299 Hidden Acres Path, was spotted by the arresting officer running from the Sears store just before 4 p.m. Saturday with the store's security guard in pursuit.

Cimino had taken a Sony home theatre receiver and was running across Broadway with it toward the parking lot of the Broadway Mall.

The officer confronted Cimino, who refused to comply with the officer's commands, police said, and Cimino flailed his arms in an attempt to evade arrest. A struggle ensued and Cimino was eventually placed into custody.

During the encounter the arresting officer sustained a laceration to his finger, was transported to a local hospital and received four stitches to close the wound.

Cimino is charged with second-degree assault, a felony, and petit larceny. He was also wanted in connection with an unrelated warrant from a Town of Hempstead Ordinance. He will be arraigned on Sunday in First District Court, Hempstead.