CARLE PLACE NY – On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, at 4:25 p.m., an incident involving an attempted assault on a police officer took place in Carle Place, leading to the arrest of Peter Centeno, 42, from Hicksville.
Detectives reported that Bureau of Special Operations (BSO) Officers were conducting an investigation on a male with an active Nassau County Bench Warrant. They identified the suspect, Peter Centeno, in a 2023 Chevy Malibu parked behind the Holiday Inn at 369 Old Country Road.
During the investigation, Centeno intentionally rammed his vehicle into an unmarked patrol car and tried to hit an officer who had exited the vehicle. The suspect then reversed and accelerated forward again, striking the officer, who feared “his life was in danger,” discharged his weapon. Centeno disregarded verbal commands and, after additional attempts to remove him, once more accelerated toward officers, hitting the patrol car and disabling it. He then fled westbound on Old Country Road.
Centeno was subsequently apprehended on Douglaston Parkway in Queens without further incident. Both the suspect and the officers involved were taken to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment.
Centeno faces multiple charges, including Attempted Assault in the 1st Degree, Criminal Mischief in the 2nd Degree, Reckless Endangerment in the 1st Degree, Menacing in the 2nd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 4th Degree, and various Vehicle and Traffic Law violations. He was arraigned on Wednesday, May 29, 2024, at First District Court, located at 99 Main Street, Hempstead.
According to police, Centeno has a history of five prior arrests, including charges for violent felonies.