Complaint #202306857,
July 4, 2023

Summary

On July 04, 2023, at approximately 1:10 AM, Deputy Inspector Stephen Spataro of the 120th Precinct drove on the exit-13 exit ramp for Clove Road in Staten Island with his police vehicle emergency lights activated and [redacted] driving in front of him. DI Spataro passed [redacted] on the right after [redacted] allegedly failed to yield to his emergency lights, and [redacted] honked his vehicle horn at DI Spataro. DI Spataro stopped his vehicle, rolled down his window and allegedly stated, "It's a police vehicle, you idiot," (Allegation A – Discourtesy: [redacted]) [redacted] allegedly tried to pass back in front of DI Spataro's police vehicle and DI Spataro pulled [redacted] vehicle over (Allegation B – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) Additional officers arrived on scene and DI Spataro threatened to arrest [redacted] (Allegation C – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) [redacted] exited and stood at the rear of his vehicle and asked Sergeant Paul Dieugenia of Staten Island Narcotics for a business card, which he did not provide (Allegation D – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) Detective John Weiburg of Staten Island Narcotics opened [redacted] vehicle door while [redacted] was at the rear of his vehicle and shined his flashlight inside the vehicle (Allegation E – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) [redacted] asked Det. Weiburg for his name and shield number, which he did not provide, and Det. Weiburg threatened to arrest [redacted] (Allegation F, G, and H - Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) [redacted] was then arrested, and DI Spataro ended a video recording on [redacted] cellphone before giving the cellphone to the officers transporting [redacted] back to the 120th Precinct stationhouse (Allegation I – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) [redacted] was released from the 120th Precinct stationhouse and upon retrieving his vehicle back from police custody, the visor mirror was allegedly cracked (Allegation J – Abuse of Authority: [redacted]) Read report for details.