Lake Grove Man With Dozens of License Suspensions Continues to Drive, Crash, Get Arrested

A Lake Grove man who made headlines last month after police revealed that his license had been suspended or revoked 45 times has continued to drive since then and has been arrested twice for leaving the scene of an accident, one accident coming just a day after he was released from jail, according to police and court records.

James A. Tomassi, 32, was last arrested on Sunday evening on charges of first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle–a felony–and a misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident with injury.

Police say Tomassi crashed a 2003 Nissan Sentra into a tree on Hawkins Road in Centereach at 6:40 p.m. Sunday. Tomassi fled the scene on foot, police said. A passenger in the vehicle was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for chest pains.

Tomassi was arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Monday and is being held on $30,000 bond or $10,000 cash bail.

Before Sunday’s arrest, Tomassi has been free on $90,000 bond stemming from his arrest on Oct. 3 after he crashed his motorcycle into a car in Nesconset.

Tomassi posted that $90,000 bond on Oct. 22, court records show. The next day, Tomassi was arrested on charges of leaving the scene of an accident and first degree criminal contempt.

Tomassi was arraigned on those charges on Oct. 24. District Court Judge Paul Hensley released Tomassi on his own recognizance, according to court records.

Prior to October, Tomassi was arrested on five other occasions in 2014 on a range of charges, including aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, criminal mischief, criminal contempt and harassment.

Tomassi is due back in court on Wednesday.

SCPD Photo

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