Nanuet Man Accused of Assaulting Cops in New City

NEW CITY, NY — The Clarkstown Police Department announce the arrest of a Nanuet resident accused of passing bad checks and assaulting two police officers in New City on Monday.

At 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31 the Clarkstown Police Department responded to the Citibank at 170 N. Main St. in New City for a report of a male attempting to pass a fraudulent check. Bank employees pointed him out to the officers. He was sitting nearby in a black sedan with Georgia license plates.

The officers attempted to interview the man, later identified as Zarif Shabazz, 28, of Nanuet. They allege he was not compliant with the officer's commands and refused to get out of the car.

A struggle ensued in which an officer fired an ineffective Taser round, police said. The man was finally handcuffed and transported to Nyack Hospital's Emergency Room for treatment of the Taser barb.

The two officers sustained non-life threatening injuries and were treated at Nyack ER and released.

The bank manager was later interviewed and police determined that Shabazz attempted to cash two checks that bank employees believed to be fraudulent. He was denied payment. He left the bank without incident.

After his arrest, police found several checks in his possession as well as in his car, which was searched, police said, after a search warrant was obtained. A shotgun was found in the trunk and a pellet gun was found next to the driver’s seat, police allege.

Shabazz was processed at police headquarters and charged with criminal possession of forged instrument 2nd (felony), assault 2nd (felony) and resisting arrest (misdemeanor). He was arraigned in Clarkstown Justice Court. Bail was set at $50,000 and he was sent to Rockland County Jail. Shabazz will return to court Nov. 4.