Man Who Tried To Hit Man W/ Car On LI Faces Hate Crime Charge: PD

HAUPPAUGE, NY — A man was arrested Tuesday after Suffolk police said he made discriminatory remarks and tried to hit a man with his car last week.

Peter Domenichello, 55, was in the parking lot of Smith Haven Plaza at 2093 Moriches Road, Lake Grove, when he directed anti-Arab comments at two men around 6:55 p.m. on May 4, police said. Domenichello then drove his 2017 Honda Civic at one of the men, causing the man to dodge the Honda, police said. When the man got into his vehicle, Domenichello drove directly toward the man's vehicle but did not strike it, police said.

Domenichello was also accused of making anti-Arab remarks to other people while at the Smith Haven Plaza just before the parking lot incident, police said.

Domenichello was arrested at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday outside his Hauppauge home following an investigation by Hate Crime Unit detectives.

Domenichello was charged with second-degree reckless endangerment as a hate crime, a felony under the New York state penal law. He is due to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date.