CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. — A Suffolk County man was arraigned Friday in Central Islip Criminal Court on charges of assault and criminal mischief after allegedly hitting an emergency medical technician while suffering a suspected drug overdose.
The accused appeared before Judge Evan M. Zuckerman, with Assistant District Attorney Jack Nicholas stating that during ambulance transport, the accused allegedly struck an EMT who later sought medical treatment.
Nicholas requested a full stay-away order of protection, which would bar the accused from any future contact with the EMT—including during potential medical emergencies.
Judge Zuckerman asked whether the accused and the EMT were known to each other, to which the ADA responded they were strangers.
Defense attorney Sarah Udko, of the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society, opposed the protective order.
She argued the incident occurred amid a “serious medical episode,” and that any physical contact was incidental, not intentional.
Udko also questioned whether the ADA had spoken directly with the EMT complainant.
Nicholas confirmed that he had.
Udko then raised a practical concern: “Issuing a full stay-away order,” she said, “could prevent the EMT—or others in their agency—from assisting the accused in future emergencies,” potentially compromising his access to life-saving care.
Judge Zuckerman disagreed.
“An EMT,” he said, “would know the difference between someone having a medical episode and someone being combative.”
He added: “There are other EMTs in the world, if the defendant needs it,” before granting the order of protection.
Later in the hearing, the judge briefly asked if the accused was currently all right.
Misunderstanding the question, the accused responded, “I was having an overdose,” referencing the original incident.
The accused has no prior criminal history, and the prosecution did not request bail.
He was released on his own recognizance, meaning he is free to remain in the community while awaiting trial, provided he returns for future court dates.
