(Update, Jan. 9) Suffolk County Police, assisted by the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, located and arrested Manuel DeLeon Cuellar in Plainfield, New Jersey yesterday. Cuellar, 24, of Jamesport, was charged with arson in the second degree, police said, and will face additional charges when he is returned to New York.
(Original story, Dec. 25) Suffolk Police are seeking the public’s help to locate a Jamesport man following a domestic incident during which he burglarized and set fire to a residence and struck a police officer with a vehicle in Brentwood early this morning.
Police said Manuel DeLeon Cuellar broke into his girlfriend’s apartment, located at 202 Westwood Drive at approximately 2 a.m., assaulted her and set fire to the apartment. As Cuellar fled the scene, he struck a responding Third Precinct police officer with a Chevrolet pickup truck. Cuellar crashed the pickup truck a short distance away and fled on foot.
Cuellar, 24, of 5375 Sound Ave., Jamesport, is Hispanic, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall and 175 pounds with brown eyes, black hair and a beard. He was last seen wearing a black jacket and white checkered shirt. Cuellar may be armed with a knife.
Both Cuellar’s girlfriend and the police officer were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on Cuellar’s location to call 911, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS or the Third Squad at 631-854-8352.
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. By law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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