Verdict in Trial of Drag-Racer Who Injured Cops

MOUNT PLEASANT, NY — A driver who injured two Mount Pleasant police investigating a large drag-racing gathering on Route 117 in 2015 has been found guilty of assault. Nathan Irizarry of the Bronx faces a minimum of seven years on the two counts.

Irizarry, 39, was convicted Friday of two counts of Assault On a Police Officer, class “C” felonies, Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. announced. The jury trial was conducted by Judge Barbara Zambelli.

The incident took place Nov. 14, 2015, when two Mount Pleasant policemen, Sgt. Mike McGuinn and Officer Luke Oliveri, responded to Route 117 near Rockefeller State Park on reports of drag racing in progress.

The officers attempted to stop a car being driven by Irizarry but he pulled away at a high rate of speed. Twenty minutes later, they again encountered the car on Route 117. The police stopped the car and ordered Irizarry out. He refused. As the officers tried to physically remove him, standing on the driver’s side with the door open, Irizarry put his car in reverse and gunned it.

McGuinn got pinned underneath the driver’s side door, and was dragged about 50 yards. McGuinn was only released when an ammunition pouch on his gun belt broke off as he was being dragged. Police Officer Oliveri was hit by the driver’s side door and was knocked unconscious for a brief time.

Afterward, Oliveri 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 his ribs which were broken.

Irizarry sped away, but the police officers were able to get a partial license plate as well as a description of the car and driver.

An intensive investigation was undertaken by The Mount Pleasant Police Department, The New York City Police Department, The Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, The Westchester County Department of Public Safety and The Westchester County Intelligence Center.

The defendant was arrested three months later after he was identified in a line up.

Oliver, after being unable to work for 10 months, has since returned to work as a Mount Pleasant police officer. McGuinn has been unable to return to work as a result of his injuries.

After the jury verdict was announced, Irizarry was sent to jail. He will be sentenced on September 5, 2017.

He faces a determinate state prison sentence on each count, the minimum which is three and half years, the maximum is fifteen years.

Timothy Ward, Deputy District Attorney of the Superior Court Trial Division and Assistant District Attorney Lana Hochheiser, Deputy Chief of the Career Criminal Bureau prosecuted the case.