Man Indicted for Attempted Murder of County Police Officer
A Mount Vernon man who tried to stab a Westchester County police officer after a high-speed chase in Mount Kisco and Bedford last month was arraigned Thursday on an 11-count indictment, including first-degree attempted murder.
Ronald Clare Greenland, 53, faces 25 years to life in jail. He was also brought up on six other felony charges, three misdemeanors and a violation stemming from the Nov. 8 incident. He pleaded not guilty on Thursday and was remanded to the county jail.
Law enforcement authorities said Greenland led the officer on a chase after the cop spotted a suspicious green Honda Odyssey van in the Arroway Chevrolet Cadillac dealership at 175 N. Bedford Rd. at about 2:15 a.m. The van had previously been reported stolen.
The officer attempted to pull over the van at a traffic light after it exited the dealership but the suspect sped off. Greenland, police said, got out of the van on Knowlton Avenue and began running from the vehicle with the officer chasing him through backyards and. He was caught on Dickson Lane in Bedford.
According to the district attorney’s office, a struggle ensued, with Greenland allegedly attempting to stab the officer several times. The officer’s bulletproof vest had several slashes in the area of the chest.
The suspect had been attempting to steal rims off vehicles, the district attorney’s office reported. Police had increased patrols of car dealerships in the area in response to several thefts of tires, rims and other car parts during overnight hours.
After the defendant’s arrest, police discovered a car jack and cinder blocks beneath a pickup truck on the car dealership’s property. The minivan he was driving had been stolen from Scarsdale in September.
In addition to first-degree attempted murder, the other felony charges are one count each of first-degree attempted assault, attempted aggravated assault on a police officer, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal possession of a weapon,
third-degree attempted grand larceny and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
The misdemeanor charges are third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and possession of burglar’s tools. Greenland was also charged with trespassing, a violation.
The defendant faces federal charges because he had previously been deported to his native Jamaica and returned illegally to the United States. He had been deported based upon his prior felony conviction relating to his participation in a car theft ring.
Greenland is due to return to court on Jan. 17.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/