Alleged Gang Member Arrested After Shootout With Cops: Nassau PD

UNIONDALE, NY — A Suffolk County man was charged with attempted murder after getting into a shootout with police following a traffic stop in Uniondale, police said.

According to police, officers were heading west on the Southern State Parkway around midnight Tuesday when they saw a black Dodge Charger that matched the description of a vehicle that was involved in a robbery in Levittown on Feb. 16. The officers activated their lights and sirens and tried to pull the car over, but police say the driver refused to stop and got off the parkway onto Nassau Road in Uniondale.

Police say the driver — Jonathan R. Vazquez, 20, of Bay Shore — stopped his car on Nassau Road, got out, pulled out a handgun and fired at the officers. Police say Vazquez shot at least twice, and the officers returned fire, which caused Vazquez to run away. He was arrested a short time later, and no one was injured.

According to Newsday, Vazquez is an alleged member of the Crips street gang.

Vazquez is charged with two counts of first-degree attempted murder of a police officer, first-degree criminal use of a firearm, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree assault.

Police say Vazquez was also responsible for an incident in Hempstead on Feb. 8, although they did not provide details about it. for that, he is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree assault, first-degree criminal use of a firearm and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Additionally, police say Vazquez is responsible for robbing a Levittown woman at gunpoint in her driveway on Feb. 16. For that, he is charged with first-degree robbery.

Vazquez is scheduled to be arraigned on all of the charges later today in First District Court in Hempstead.