By Ayala Ben-Yehuda
A 22-year-old Bayside man was arrested Sunday on charges of dragging a teenager with his car 100 feet down a Long Island street, sending the victim into a coma.
Jonathan Kang, 22, of 57-47 225th St. was arrested by Nassau County police a short time after he allegedly fled the scene outside a Williston Park party where the victim, 19-year-old Joseph Vitale of Roslyn, was dragged, police said.
Kang was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury, a spokeswoman for Nassau District Attorney Denis Dillon said.
Kang was arraigned at State District Court in Mineola and released on $2,500 cash bail Sunday, the spokeswoman said. He was scheduled to appear in court again on Aug. 21.
Vitale, whom police said suffered serious head injuries and lapsed into a coma after the incident, was in critical but stable condition Tuesday at Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, hospital spokesman John Broder said.
Neither Kang nor his attorney could be reached for comment. A woman who answered the door at Kang’s home appeared not to speak English.
Kang faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted, a DA spokesman said.
Nassau County police said Kang and New Hyde Park resident Brian J. Weigand, 22, left the party on Princeton Street in Williston Park at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
The two got into Kang’s 1990 Honda Accord when Vitale, who was also at the party, approached the passenger side of the car, police said.
A verbal dispute ensued, after which Vitale began physically assaulting Weigand through the open passenger door, police said.
It was then that Kang, the driver, put the car in reverse and allegedly dragged Vitale 100 feet down Princeton Street, police said.
Kang then made a sharp U-turn and Vitale fell into the road, police said.
“The driver of the vehicle was not intoxicated,” Detective Sgt. John Giambrone of the Nassau County Police Department said of Kang. “He was checked, and there was no alcohol involved on his end.”
There was alcohol at the party, Giambrone said.
Kang was arrested at Weigand’s house in New Hyde Park, police said. His car was impounded for safety checks “and further processing,” police said in a news release.
Giambrone said Kang and Vitale did not know each other before the party.
“They had some type of argument,” Giambrone said. “We’re trying to clarify what that argument was about.”
Reach reporter Ayala Ben-Yehuda by e-mail at Timesledger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 146.
