Irizarry
WHITE PLAINS – A Bronx man was convicted in Westchester County Court on two felony counts of assault on a police officer.
Nathan Irizarry, 39, was found guilty in a jury trial that ended on Friday.
On November 14, 2015 at about 12:30 a.m., two Mount Pleasant Police officers, Sgt. Mike McGuinn and Police Officer Luke Oliveri, responded to Route 117 near Rockefeller State Park on reports of drag racing going on.
The officers attempted to stop a car being driven by Irizarry but he pulled away at a high rate of speed. Twenty minutes later, the police encountered him again, ordered him to stop, but he refused and as the officers tried to physically remove him from the car while standing at the open driver’s side door, Irizarry put the vehicle in reverse and stepped on the gas.
Sgt. McGuinn was pinned underneath the driver’s door for about 50 yards and was released when an ammunition pouch on his gun belt broke off as he was being dragged. Officer Oliveri was hit by the driver’s side door and was knocked unconscious and suffered post-concussive syndrome, which resulted in chronic daily headaches and other neurological symptoms.
McGuinn injured his shoulder, which required two surgeries, his knee, which suffered shattered bones, and broken ribs.
Irizarry fled and was not arrested until February 17, 2016, after he was identified in a lineup.
When sentenced in September he faces from 3 ½ to 15 years in state prison on each count in the conviction.
