Crimes Nearby: Murder Charge

Lindenhurst Man Facing Murder Charge

A Lindenhurst man was one of two people arrested in connection with the 2008 killing of a Narrowsburg, New York, woman, New York State Police said.

Scott Sherwood, 40, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder in the death of Catherine Novak, 41. He was arraigned in Sullivan County Court.

Sherwood's being held without bail in Sullivan County Jail. His next scheduled court appearance is October 2. Paul Novak, 45, of Palm Coast, Florida was also arrested. Police said Novak is facing two counts of second-degree murder and one count of three-degree arson. 

According to a report on MidHudsonNews.com, Catherine Novak was found dead in the basement of her home on December 13, 2008. The former Sullivan West Board of Education member was found buried under the rubble of her burned out home that collapsed.

The report indicated that NYS Police have been investigating the fire and death during the past four years.

West Islip Teen Dies Two Weeks After Crash

Thomas Labetti, the West Islip 15-year-old hit by a car while riding his bicycle in town two weeks ago, has died of his injuries in the hospital, Suffolk County Police confirmed Thursday night. 

Labetti was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center after the accident on Sept. 11 by West Islip Fire Department Rescue and listed in critical condition with "severe internal injuries," police said. He died on Thursday afternoon. 

Labetti was riding southbound on Udall Road, near Pine Avenue, when he was struck by a 2006 Chevy Tahoe that was also headed southbound at the time of the crash, police said. 

The driver of the Tahoe, 34-year-old Dennis A. Grabhorn Jr., of West Islip, was not injured in the crash. 

No criminal charges have been filed against Grabhorn. The West Islip community rallied around the Labetti family after the crash by organizing meal donations for the family. 

Police: Child Care Provider Left Kids Alone In Car

A child-care provider from Amityville was arrested on Monday after she allegedly left two young children in a locked vehicle in Melville, Suffolk County Police said.

Bridget Erwat, 49, was arrested and charged with two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Erwat, who operates Bridget’s Children’s Place out of her home, posted bail and will be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip at a later date. A notification was made to the Suffolk County Department of Social Services Child Protective Services Bureau.

According to police, a witness noticed two young children alone in the backseat of a 2005 Honda CRV that was parked in the Costco parking lot at 625 Broadhollow Road at around 2 p.m. The witness unlocked a door through an open window and took the two children, one age four and one 8-months old, into the store.

Police said the children were not harmed and were in the unattended vehicle a minimum of 10 minutes before they were found.

Robbery Attempt at Huntington Country Inn

A man tried to rob the Huntington Country Inn early last Thursday morning but fled empty handed.

Suffolk County police said that a man, about 18 years old, went into the inn at 270 W. Jericho Tpke., Huntington Station, about 1:22 a.m. He pulled a knife and ordered the clerk to open a register and hand over the money but then fled.

He was described as a white male, wearing a red jacket and a black baseball cap.