New Rochelle Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Yonkers Cop

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Two New Rochelle men faces charges stemming from the attempted murder of a Yonkers police officer. Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino Jr. announced Tuesday that Frank Valencia, 18, of New Rochelle, was indicted by grand jury and charged with attempted aggravated murder in connection with an incident that resulted in a Yonkers police office being shot in the jaw Sept. 25.

Valencia was charged with the following:

• Four counts of attempted aggravated murder
• Four counts of first-degree attempted murder
• Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
• Unlawful possession of a large-capacity ammunition feeding device
• Second-degree assault

Valencia’s accomplice, Jerry Reyes, 22, of New Rochelle, was arraigned and charged with the following:

• Second-degree criminal possession of a weapon
• Unlawful possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device

Both men pleaded not guilty.

Scarpino said that, on Sept. 25, two police officers responded to reports of a suspicious parked car at Marshall Road and Ridge Drive in the Park Hill section of Yonkers.

As officers got out of their patrol car and approached the vehicle, which was occupied by Valencia and Reyes, Valencia suddenly opened fire, police said, and one of the responding officers was struck in the jaw by a bullet.

Backup arrived, and while officers returned fire, the injured police officer was carried to an ambulance and taken to a nearby trauma center.

Valencia was also injured in the shootout with police and taken to Westchester Medical Center where he was arraigned on charges of attempted murder.

Reyes was arrested at the scene.

Police said a loaded Glock 40 caliber semiautomatic handgun, a high-capacity magaine and numerous bullets were later recovered in the care occupied by the defendants at the Yonkers location where the shootout occurred.

Valencia and Reyes will next appear in court Jan. 30.

Valencia faces life in prison if convicted of the charges, while Reyes faces up to 15 years if convicted.

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