5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

Ronkonkoma
Arrests in turkey toss
Five teenagers charged ? one with assault ? as victim remains unconscious and critically injured

BY DENISE M. BONILLA AND BILL MASON
STAFF WRITERS

November 19, 2004

Suffolk police last night arrested five teenagers who they said were involved in throwing a turkey through the windshield of a car driven by a Lake Ronkonkoma woman, 44, who was critically injured and has not regained consciousness.

Police did not immediately say why the youths, three boys and two girls, allegedly threw the turkey Saturday and whether they meant to harm anyone. The one who allegedly threw the turkey, Ryan Cushing, 18, of 122 Willow Ave., Huntington, was charged with first-degree assault. The others face lesser charges. More arrests are expected, police said.

The turkey smashed the windshield and struck the woman in the head, police said.

The victim's older sister said yesterday the woman suffered fractured cheekbones, a broken nose, a broken top jaw and a fractured lower jaw and required a tracheotomy. She was in critical but stable condition at Stony Brook University Hospital yesterday before undergoing six hours of surgery.

'We don't know what kind of cognitive damage is the result of this,' the sister said. 'So right now we're just praying.'

The sister, who did not give her name, spoke at a news conference earlier yesterday.

Chief of Detectives Kenneth Rau said police were investigating at least seven 'youthful' men and women who were captured buying the turkey on surveillance tapes in a Waldbaum's on Portion Road. The purchases were made using a credit card that had been stolen earlier that night from a vehicle parked outside the Island 16 movie theater in Holtsville, he said.

Cushing also was charged with reckless endangerment, forgery, criminal mischief and criminal possession of stolen property. Jack Cutrone, 18, of 18 Berkeley Ave., Selden; Steven Manzolina, 17, of 106 N. Evergreen Ave., Selden; Amanda McDonald, 17, of 298 Magnolia Dr., Selden; and Rachel MacDonald, 17, of 21 Shearwater Way, Centereach, were charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Manzolina also was charged with grand larceny.

At the home of Amanda McDonald, a man who identified himself as a family friend declined to comment. The others could not be reached.


I am glad that they have arrested these 5, and I hope that they are severely punished!

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

Me too. ... what they did is judt horrible. I just don't understand what is wrong with some of the kids today...

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

my co-worker know's two of the boy's who did that . jack cutrone and steven manzolina. she said her kids use to hang out with jack and told them to stop hanging out with him because he is trouble. Man I hope these kids get punished really good! they should pay for her hospital bill and windshield and go to jail.

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

Thank God! I hope they are all severely punished!!!!!

I used to live on Berkeley Ave. right next door to the house one of the kids live in now although it was a different family then.

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

Teenagers really have nothing better to do huh?

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

I am so glad they got caught. What they did is inexcusable(sp)?
I am so angry at this. Keep the woman in your prayers.

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

On Channel 7 they just said that the moron who threw the turkey faces 40 years in jail!!!! I hope he gets it too!

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

they arrested a 6th person already and looking for the 7th.

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

did you see the picture's of the kids in yesterday's paper?

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

Those kids were such AS******!! What a stupid thing to do!!!

Re: 5 arrested in the Turkey throwing incident!

I thought their was a 7th person!