Mineola, NY - December 27, 2018 - Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas announced that a Uniondale man was arraigned on a 14-count grand jury indictment for allegedly firing a gun at four NCPD officers following a traffic stop.
Duane Costa, 37, of Uniondale was arraigned before Judge William O’Brien and charged with:
- Four counts of Attempted Murder in the First Degree (an A-I felony)
- Four counts of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (a B violent felony)
- Two counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm in the First Degree (a B violent felony)
- Four counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (a C felony)
The defendant was remanded and is due back in court January 24. If convicted of the top count he faces a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.
“According to the indictment, the defendant was armed with two handguns and fired multiple rounds at four police officers after a traffic stop,” DA Singas said. “It is truly a miracle that no police officers were injured in this shooting. There are serious consequences for the attempted murder of a police officer and these charges carry a potential maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.”
DA Singas said on October 28, at approximately 1:00 am, the car in which the defendant was allegedly a passenger, was stopped by two members of the Nassau County Police Department at Midwood Street and Lafayette Avenue in Hempstead for failing to signal a left turn. After allegedly smelling alcohol, observing the defendant not wearing a seatbelt and adjusting an object in his waistband, officers ordered the driver and defendant out of the car.
The defendant then allegedly pushed past the officers and ran. As the defendant reached toward his waist, a .40 pistol allegedly fell to the ground. The defendant then allegedly pulled out another gun, a CZ 52 Pistol, and fired multiple rounds at the officers as he ran around a corner where he encountered two different officers who were nearby on a separate matter.
Following that encounter, Costa allegedly fired more rounds at those officers and ran around another corner. Members of the NCPD and Hempstead Village Police Departments then set up a perimeter, and the defendant was found a short time later in a yard at 6 Meriam Street and arrested. Both handguns were recovered, and none of the officers fired their weapons or were injured.
Deputy Bureau Chief Jared Rosenblatt of DA Singas’ Major Offense Bureau, Senior District Attorney Tova Simpson of DA Singas’ Special Operations Narcotics and Gang Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Matthew Perry of DA Singas’ County Court Trial Bureau are prosecuting this case. Lori Golombek, Esq. represents the defendant.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.