Officer Injured By Violent Suspect With Bag Of Meth, Tased In Garden City Traffic Stop: Police

By Jillian Pikora From Daily Voice

A drug arrest in East Garden City turned violent when a suspect fled on foot and fought with officers, Nassau County police announced on Saturday, Aug. 9.

Criminal Intelligence Rapid Response Team officers were on routine patrol when they spotted a red 2024 Toyota speeding and changing lanes unsafely southbound on Merchant Concourse at 11:26 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, according to detectives.

During the stop, officers saw a clear plastic bag filled with suspected methylenedioxymethamphetamine in plain sight, police said. As officers moved to arrest the occupants, Shaking Vereen, 34, of Westbury, allegedly ran from the vehicle.

After a brief foot chase and repeated verbal commands, Vereen became violent and combative, forcing officers to use a Taser to bring him into custody, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.

An officer suffered wrist, shoulder, elbow, and knee injuries in the struggle and was also transported to a hospital, police said.

Two other suspects — Damien Smith, 34, of Westbury, and Kayla Gries, 29, of Malverne — were arrested without incident. Smith and Gries are each charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and were released on appearance tickets.

Vereen faces two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, assault in the second degree, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, and was wanted on an active Nassau County warrant. He was arraigned on Saturday, Aug. 9 at First District Court in Hempstead, police said.