OMG!!!

Newsday


Staff Writer

June 12, 2003, 2:56 PM EDT


A South Setauket man was determined to get a free ride yesterday evening, Suffolk police said, but a 65-year-old man who wouldn't give up his keys and a seven-year-old boy who grabbed his hair helped to put the brakes on his attempts to carjack two separate vehicles within minutes of each other.

According to police, David Thompson, 23, first approached Richard Gambardella, 65, in the Ronkonkoma Kohl's parking lot. He tried taking the keys as Gambardella was getting into his 1996 Chrysler. But despite being punched in the head and thrown to the ground, Gambardella was able to get into his car.

As he was driving away, police said Thompson hit a 1994 Ford driven by Diane McKasty, 36, who had her nine and seven-year-old sons with her. McKasty got out to survey the damage, leaving the children inside, and Thompson jumped into the Ford. McKasty grabbed the steering wheel and Thompson started to drive off, dragging her alongside until she let go.

Police said the seven-year-old boy then grabbed Thompson by the hair. The alleged carjacker then threw both children out of the vehicle, but only after he broke the younger boy's finger by slamming a car door on it.

Thompson then drove to a Centereach Modell's, police said, where he stole a pair of Adidas sneakers and an Alan Iverson jersey basketball jersey. A store clerk called 911 and Thompson was arrested at Smithaven Mall after McKasty's car was spotted in the parking lot.

Thompson was charged with robbery, assault, and unlawful imprisonment for the McKasty incident. He was also charged with attempted robbery and assault for the Gambardella incident.

Gambardella was treated at St. Catherine of Siena Hospital for abrasions to his left arm and right elbow and later released. McKasty was treated at Mather Hospital for injuries to her right elbow and knee. Her seven-year-old was treated for a broken ring finger. Both were released.
Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc

I'm glad they caught the jerk!
Poor lady and her kids.

This is insane!!! I'm so glad they got that @ss!!!

Thank God the woman and her 2 kids are ok.

wow, so scary!
apparently it was the old man (who got away from the bad guy) who hit the lady, actually. i just read this in an updated article in newsday:

(just an exceprt)
'That gave Gambardella enough time to get into the car and drive off, even as Thompson continued to bang on the window, but Gambardella nicked Diane McKasty's car as he drove off, police said.

Upset that she had become a victim of a hit-and-run accident, but oblivious to the attempted car-jacking, McKasty, of Ronkonkoma, got out to examine the damage.

'I got out and said 'Why is this man leaving? He just hit me,'' McKasty said.'


full article

Glad they caught this jerk

How scary-I live in South Setauket

I hope that lady get's a hold of that man, b/c if someone ever did that to my kids, I would find him and probably kill him myself. I am almost in tears myself, I feel so bad for that lady!!

I hope you are okay also swags, that probably was horrible to watch.

I just saw it on the news and I was like he looks familiar---I went to elemaentary school with him

Are you serious????

Well need for HS reunion in this case you know where he will be!