CENTRAL ISLIP, NY — During a Tuesday arraignment in Central Islip, Acting County Court Judge Jennifer Henry issued a stay-away order of protection against a disabled veteran who pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief with intent to damage property. The defense objected to the order, noting the complaint was filed more than two weeks after the alleged incident.
The accused is charged with allegedly flattening the tires of a woman’s vehicle following a verbal altercation in a parking lot on April 24. According to reports, the woman had parked in a handicapped space without a visible permit while the veteran was attempting to park, prompting the confrontation. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office requested the protective order to bar the accused from contacting the woman, citing concerns he might assault or intimidate her.
Robert Curran, the accused’s temporary legal counsel, argued that the protective order was unnecessarily punitive, especially given that the incident was not reported to law enforcement until May 10—more than two weeks after it occurred. Curran contended the order would act “as a sword, not a shield,” asserting that such measures should be used to protect complainants facing credible threats, not to penalize someone in a case with no established danger, no prior relationship, and no ongoing contact between the parties.
Judge Henry ultimately granted the order, stating that while the accused may not know the woman personally, her residence near his raised legitimate concerns about possible future encounters.
In court, the accused agreed to retain alternate legal representation ahead of his next court date.
Outside the courtroom, he appeared shaken by the legal proceedings. He told The Vanguard that he did not know the complainant’s identity or where she lived, had missed a day of work to attend the hearing, and feared the misdemeanor charge could jeopardize his employment. He also expressed confusion about the next steps in his case and could not identify the attorney who had represented him in court.
