New Charge For Man Arrested After Stabbing Someone On LI Bus: Police

FLANDERS, NY — Police have announced a new charge for the Mastic man they said was arrested after he stabbed someone on a Suffolk County Transit bus Friday afternoon.

According to Southampton Town police, while Rene Alexander Elias Chaj, 23,was being processed at police headquarters, he was found to be in possession of a quantity of cocaine. He was also charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, police said.

At about 3:57 p.m. Friday, a call came in about the stabbing on the bus, which had just left the County Center and was traveling south on County Road 51 in Riverhead, police said.

Southampton Town Police patrol units, Community Response units, detectives, New York State police officers, and the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded and began treating the victim, who had been stabbed with a knife and was taken to an area hospital for treatment, officials said.

The attacker fled on foot; after a brief search, Chaj was located by Southampton police, identified and arrested, authorities said. He was charged with first-degree assault and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies, police said.

Chaj was processed at Southampton Town police headquarters and held overnight for morning arraignment, police said.