Man Convicted On 2020 Assault, Theft At Levittown Home Depot: DA

LEVITTOWN, NY — A Queens man was convicted on charges for an incident at The Home Depot in Levittown five years, which left a victim with significant and irreparable injuries to one of his wrists, prosecutors said.

Joshua Mitchell, 29, was convicted on Thursday of first-degree assault, second-degree assault, leaving the scene of an incident resulting in serious physical injury, third-degree grand larceny and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, said Nassau County D.A. Anne Donnelly.

The trial began on May 6, and the jury deliberated for less than two hours before delivering their verdict.

“What should have been an ordinary day for an employee at The Home Depot in Levittown turned into years of suffering because of Joshua Mitchell’s selfish, criminal actions,” said Donnelly. “People expect to feel safe in the workplace, not at risk of life-changing injury just for trying to do the right thing."

On the morning of June 17, 2020, Mitchell was observed by an asset protection officer at store on Hempstead Turnpike, placing 91 expensive plumbing items into a 54-gallon bin in a shopping cart and proceeding toward the exit without paying, proecutors said.

The total amount of merchandise found in Mitchell's cart was worth over $3,000.

When the store officer approached him, Mitchell began to push and shove the cart into him. Mitchell then abandoned the cart, ran back through the store and out a different exit, Donnelly said.

He then got into a silver Hyundai Elantra with fake Pennsylvania license plates and began to drive away, the D.A. office said.

A man who was working at the store as a kitchen designer followed Mitchell into the parking lot to stop him. Mitchell drove his car toward the victim, hitting and launching him into the air, and then proceeded to drive out of the parking lot and onto Hempstead Turnpike, Donnelly said.

The victim suffered a broken radius bone, a broken scaphoid bone and a torn ligament in his wrist. He also suffered a torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in his shoulder, Donnelly said.

"It is my hope that this conviction will bring some solace to the innocent victim and drives home the fact that this type of reckless violence will never be tolerated by my office," Donnelly said.

Mitchell is due back for sentencing on July 10, and faces a potential maximum of up to 29 years in prison.

He is represented by attorney Alain Massena.