The 20-year-old Long Island man who allegedly robbed an Intel store, then led cops on a wild chase before opening fire on them, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer and other crimes, officials said Wednesday.
Jonathan Vazquez, of Bayshore, was driving a black Dodge Charger that matched the description of the vehicle involved in the Levittown robbery Tuesday morning, according to authorities. Officers spotted him and started tailing him.
When they activated their emergency lights to try to pull him over, Vazquez allegedly high-tailed it, continuing on Nassau Road. He stopped the vehicle in an intersection, got out of the car and opened fire on responding officers, officials allege. He allegedly fired at least two rounds; the officers returned fire.
No one was hit by any bullets. Vazquez then got back in his vehicle and drove to Arthur Street, where he abandoned the sedan and tried to run off. He was arrested a short time later.
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Cops then learned the same man was allegedly responsible for a second-degree attempted murder in Hempstead dating back to Feb. 8. Vazquez was arrested on multiple charges in that case -- and on charges connected to a separate robbery in Levittown two days of Valentine's Day that cops linked to him.
Vazquez was arraigned Wednesday on the charges -- and cursed and used vulgar language toward reporters who asked him for comment on his way to court.
Prosecutors shared more details on the two prior crimes for which he was arrested. The attempted murder charge stems from a shooting. The man allegedly shot by Vazquez survived but is still working to recover from his injuries.
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The robbery came eight days later, when Vazquez allegedly robbed a woman in her own driveway as she returned home from work.
A Legal Aid attorney representing the 20-year-old didn't speak to News 4 at the arraignment but told the judge his client is a young man who has family support. Two family members were at the arraignment. They didn't speak when they left.
The judge denied bail for Vazquez. He was sent back to the Nassau County jail.
