A Queens man answered his door last night and found police were at his house with an arrest warrant.
Jonathan Achar, 30, was home at 134-37 135th Avenue in South Ozone Park when the doorbell rang about 11:35 p.m. It was the cops. They were looking for him.
According to Nassau County Police, when Achar was driving through Valley Stream, Long Island, on a Saturday afternoon, November 18, 2023, around 1:05 p.m., he was involved in an alleged “road rage” incident.
The other driver aka the “victim” — a stranger, says Achar — obtained photos of the incident, alleged to have taken place on Sunrise Highway in Valley Stream, down the street from Green Acres Mall. The victim subsequently used those photos to file a police report.
The other driver apparently told police that Achar pepper-sprayed him during this alleged incident.
In court filings, Nassau County Detective Gary W. Butt says Achar took out “a pink colored pepper spray canister” and sprayed it in the other driver’s face.
The other driver told police the spray caused his face to be “swollen and in extreme pain.”
Achar was charged with Assault in the 2nd degree with intent to cause physical injury with a weapon That charge is a D violent Felony under New York Penal Law 120.05 02. He was also charged with Unlawful possession of Noxious Matter, a B Misdemeanor under New York Penal Law 270.05 02.
He pleaded Not Guilty before Judge Norman Sammut today at his arraignment in Nassau County Criminal Court and was released. He is due back in court next week.
