Homeless Woman Accused of Assaulting Special Needs Aide, Using Racial Slurs, NCPD Say
New Hyde Park, NY - June 2, 2017 - The Third Squad reports an arrest for Assault on Thursday, June 1, 2017 at 11:43 pm for an incident that occurred in New Hyde Park.
According to detectives, on Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at 4:00 pm a female victim, 28, an aide for a special needs group, was at McDonalds located at 2045 Jericho Turnpike where she had driven a group of people. After parking she was approached by a female, now identified as Jennifer Velez, 45, a homeless woman. Velez approached the victim and began calling her racial slurs and threatening her because the victim was black.
The victim got back in her car and began to drive westbound on Jericho Turnpike. At a stop light a short distance away Velez exited her car and hit the victim in the left cheek. The suspect then fled the scene. An investigation led to the identification of Velez and she was placed under arrest on Astoria Boulevard in East Elmhurst without incident.
Velez is charged with Assault 3rd degree (as a hate crime) and Aggravated Harassment 2nd degree. She will be arraigned on Friday, June 2, 2017 at First District Court in Hempstead.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.