Suffolk County Police today arrested a man after he committed an armed robbery of a gas station in Islandia and assaulted a police officer on the morning of September 29.
Joshua Basile entered Quick Chek Gas Station, located at 3540 Veterans Memorial Highway in Bohemia and stole assorted food, then fled in a 2022 Ford Explorer, at approximately 1:35 a.m.
He then entered a BP Gas Station, located at 1460 Veterans Memorial Highway in Islandia, pointed a handgun at the clerk, and demanded money and cigarettes, at approximately 7:40 a.m. He then fled the scene in the vehicle.
An alert was broadcasted, and K-9 Section officer Ralph Dimasi observed an Explorer matching the description of the vehicle involved and conducted a traffic stop at 3480 Veterans Memorial Highway in Bohemia. During the traffic stop, officer Dimasi asked Basile to turn off the vehicle, and he complied. A second K-9 Section officer arrived as backup. When Basile was asked to exit the vehicle, he instead started the Explorer and struggled with both officers as they attempted to prevent Basile from fleeing.
Basile was able to put the vehicle into drive and flee, striking officer Dimasi with the vehicle and knocking him to the ground.
Officer Dimasi was airlifted by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Following an investigation by Major Case Unit detectives, Joshua Basile was located with the assistance of multiple other units, as he was driving the Explorer on the Long Island Expressway in Queens at approximately 1:50 p.m. on September 30.
As police attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, Basile struck and disabled a police vehicle with the Explorer and fled. He was located at 214-57 Jamaica Ave. in Queens Village and taken into custody at approximately 3:50 p.m.
Basile, 35, of 460 Henry Blvd, Holbrook, was charged with Robbery 1st Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd Degree, Criminal Use of a Firearm 2nd Degree, Assault 2nd Degree, and Petit Larceny.
He will be held overnight at the Third Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on October 1.