By Dustin Brown
After evading capture for two weeks, a Ridgewood man was arrested Friday for allegedly shooting at a Nassau County police officer last month after he had been stopped in a stolen car for a DWI investigation, authorities said.
All of this happened only 11 days after he had been released from prison, police said.
Jason Henderson, 26, of 72-39 67th St., was arraigned Saturday in Nassau County District Court in Hempstead on charges of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of stolen property, a spokeswoman for the Nassau County District Attorney said.
Henderson had been driving a stolen 1990 Jeep Cherokee in Nassau County around 3:30 a.m. Dec. 20 when officer Michael Palazzo tried to pull him over to investigate whether he was driving under the influence of alcohol, police said.
As Henderson attempted to flee, he crashed the Cherokee into the rear of a truck that was stopped at a red light at the southern service road of Route 495 and New Hyde Park Road in North Hills, police said.
Henderson then stepped out of his car and fired a shot at Palazzo from a handgun he removed from his waistband, police said. He escaped on foot but left behind a jacket with a photo-identification tag from prison inside, police said.
Although the bullet did not strike Palazzo, it was a close call.
“The officer heard the bullet fly past his head,” said Sgt. Garrett Walsh of the Nassau County Police Department’s 6th Squad.
No injuries were reported in the car crash, police said.
Henderson was arrested Friday in Brooklyn after police used the information from his ID tag to find him, police said. He was not living at home but police were able to track him down after seeking out his friends and acquaintances, Walsh said.
Henderson had been released from state prison on Dec. 9 after serving approximately 16 months for a Queens conviction on charges of criminal possession of a stolen substance and grand larceny of an auto, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Correctional Services said.
Reach reporter Dustin Brown by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 154.
