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Southampton Town cops responding to a late-night domestic disturbance in Hampton Bays said they were punched in the face and nearly disarmed by a combative man who had just allegedly assaulted a woman inside the home.
Police said the incident unfolded Thursday about 10:13 p.m., when officers were called to a Hampton Bays home for reports of a man knocking items over in the house. While patrol officers were en route, the caller phoned back to report the man had struck a woman.
When officers attempted to investigate, police said, 51-year-old Joseph Carrello became violent, punching officers in the face and at one point grabbing a cop’s holstered firearm as officers tried to arrest him.
During the struggle, a 67-year-old woman identified as Cheryl Thomason repeatedly attempted to interfere with the arrest, police said. Despite being ordered to stay back, Thomason allegedly pushed one of the officers while trying to reach Carrello.
With help from additional officers, both Carrello and Thomason were taken into custody.
Carrello was charged with second-degree assault for allegedly intending to cause injury to a police officer, criminal obstruction of breathing, attempted second-degree robbery, and resisting arrest, police said.
Thomason was charged with second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation.
The officer assaulted during the incident was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment and later released. Carrello was taken to Southampton Hospital for medical evaluation before being released back into police custody.
Carello has had at least one other brush with the law. He was arrested and charged with DWI in February 2024 when, Southampton Police said in a Patch report, that he crashed his car into the woods.
Following their arraignments, Thomason was released on her own recognizance while Carrello was held on bail and transported to the Suffolk County Jail, police said.
Top: (inset) Cheryl Thomason and Joseph Carrello in a photo posted publicly on Facebook last summer (Facebook) and GLI file photo.
