Police Say Security Guard Damaged Cruiser’s Antenna

A man who said he was a licensed, armed security guard scheduled to fly to Puerto Rico in the relief effort after Hurricane Maria was arrested on Oct. 6 in Southampton after a warrant was issued by East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana.

Mortimer A. Rubin, 34, of Riverhead was charged with felony criminal mischief after allegedly destroying a radar antenna in a police cruiser. The incident occurred early on Sept. 5.

Police had been called that day to a house on Sherwood Lane in Springs, following an apparent domestic dispute. Mr. Rubin told Justice Rana during his arraignment on Oct. 6 that the house is his mother’s. Police said they had defused a confrontation on Sept. 5, and placed Mr. Rubin in the back of a squad car, intending to take him to the East Hampton Village train station. But, according to the police report, while in the back of the police car, he grabbed its Kustom Signals radar unit, pulling an 18-foot-long cable out of an antenna box. The report said police did not initially realize that the device had been damaged, but quickly came to the conclusion that Mr. Rubin was responsible after discovering it. Police said they reached out to him several times, but that he “failed to cooperate and refused to turn himself in,” leading to the warrant.

The unit will cost $572 to replace, according to police. When the value of an item allegedly destroyed by defendants exceeds $250, they are charged with criminal mischief as a felony. At the arraignment, Carl Irace, an attorney, referring to Mr. Rubin’s criminal history, said, “It’s not as bad as it looks.” Justice Rana, however, noted that Mr. Irace had not been given the defendant’s updated rap sheet and rattled off four prior arrests, as well as a violation of probation for which he had spent 180 days in jail. 

“You’re not going to Puerto Rico until this case is resolved,” she said, setting bail at $500, which was posted.

A Montauk man was scheduled to be arraigned in East Hampton Town Justice Court yesterday after being charged with obstructing governmental administration, as well as disorderly conduct. The first charge is a misdemeanor, the latter, a violation. 

According to town police, Charles O’Connell, 42, parked his 2005 Ford pickup truck, along with a 1992 Yamaha moped, at Gin Beach in Montauk on the morning of Sept. 26, where a film crew had a town permit to shoot. According to police, he was asked several times to move his vehicles and warned that he would be arrested if he did not do so. He was released a few hours later with an appearance ticket.