John Colasanti’s (a.k.a. “Sum Z”) parents were “devastated” when their son was arrested last year after he and his female accomplice, Zolina Lindo, 22, were caught red-handed making graffiti on the outside of an 18-wheel tractor-trailer.
But they told The Courier that they are sure any new graffiti in the Ozone Park area was not done by their son, as they say, he is in a treatment facility.
“He seems to be doing well,” said dad Michael.
Both Michael and wife Pat, who have lived in Ozone Park for more than 30 years, sat down with The Courier in order to explain their son’s side of the story.
John, the oldest of three, was always artistically gifted, they said.
“John had a book, and he always sketched,” said his dad. “John always had a good head on his shoulders.”
But when his brother Michael was 14, he had an accident; his brain was deprived of oxygen, and he has been in a semi-catatonic state for the past 20 years.
Mom Pat traveled to Florida in search of help, and Michael received hyperbaric treatments, which both the family and doctors said were effective in repairing the damage.
Unfortunately, Pat said, these were expensive and not covered by insurance.
John, now 36, was married in his late 20s and the couple had a daughter.
Everything seemed fine until John and his wife divorced, said his parents.
“He had a couple of rough things happen in his life,” they said. “He was a good kid, a good father.”
They say they noticed a change in his attitude right before he was arrested last year.
The sentence was five years’ probation, say the Colasantis.
“As long as he wasn’t going to jail I was OK with that,” said Pat.
But he was arrested again for criminal trespassing, and this time, they say, he was given a choice: one to three years in jail or 18 months and rehab.
John opted for the latter.
A spokesperson for the district attorney did confirm that John was “conditionally discharged,” but repeated calls to John’s attorney went unanswered as of press time.
“I am grateful for the fact that it has stopped, that he’s getting help,” said Pat, who became emotional. “Hopefully he’ll get out better. This is going to teach him a good lesson. I know he is in a safe place . . .”
In the meantime, his daughter, who received Communion recently, knows what is going on.
Her grandparents say they would bring her to visit her father when she is allowed.
When John comes home, said Pat, “I’ll just be happy he’s home.”
As for graffiti, the Colasantis agree that it is an ongoing problem.
“I told him, ‘Someone graffitied my garage, and I got mad,’ ” said Michael.
