MAD MAC’S SI RAMPAGE
An owner of Staten Island’s selfproclaimed “autonomous zone” bar plowed his car into a sheriff ’s deputy and broke the lawman’s legs when officers tried to arrest him for flouting coronavirus rules on Sunday, prosecutors and police sources said.
Danny Presti of Mac’s Public House was hit with 10 charges for the alleged assault, and although he was allegedly fleeing arrest at the time of the incident, the Staten Island District Attorney’s Office agreed to release him without bail following a private arraignment in a precinct station house.
According to a criminal complaint, deputies with the city Sheriff ’s Office tried to collar Presti after seeing at least 30 customers being served at his Grant City watering hole Saturday night in defiance of coronavirus restrictions and the revocation of his liquor license for noncompliance.
After deputies yelled his name, Presti, 34, “began to flee on foot towards his vehicle” and ignored orders to stop, before firing up the turquoise Jeep and allegedly ramming it into Sgt. Kenneth Matos, authorities and court papers charge.
Presti allegedly drove with the officer “clinging to the hood” of the Jeep for 300 feet before a sheriff ’s vehicle stopped him, police sources said.
Matos aided in the arrest and was taken to Staten Island University Hospital complaining of “substantial pain” to his hips, knees, legs, lower back and neck, police sources said.
Exams later showed that he suffered multiple fractured bones, including both tibias, sources said. He was discharged later Sunday.
Mac’s has declared itself an “autonomous zone” and remained open despite a stack of fines, a shutdown order by the state Health Department and the loss of its liquor license.
“Whether it’s flouting public health laws or ramming a car into a deputy, this guy clearly has no regard for the lives of others,” tweeted Mayor de Blasio’s spokesman, Bill Neidhardt.
Presti — who was arrested on Tuesday for keeping his bar open — was hit with 10 charges on Sunday, including third-degree assault with intent to cause physical injury, menacing, reckless driving, resisting arrest and unlawfully fleeing a police officer.
He was arraigned on Sunday’s charges from inside the 122nd Precinct station house and released without bail — a move the Staten Island DA’s Office said it endorsed.
The public was not made aware of the proceedings until after they were completed. The DA did not respond to requests for further information.
A high-ranking police source called the release “ridiculous” and said it only “emboldens” others to commit
similar acts of lawlessness.
The source disagreed with the COVID-19 restrictions but said, “Bottom line is the sheriff was doing his job.”
“Regardless of how [Presti] feels about the rules, you can’t assault a cop,” the source said.
Presti’s attorney, Mark Fonte, claimed without evidence that the sheriff made up the allegations.
“From what I have seen, it doesn’t appear the way the sheriff is saying it happened,” Fonte said.
The Sheriff ’s Office said it had video of Matos clinging to the car but did not immediately release it.
Sheriff Joseph Fucito said he supported the court’s decision to free Presti without bail.
“As sheriff, I support the decisions of the court and stand ready to enforce the court’s decisions,” Fucito said.
Mac’s remained defiant on Sunday, accusing the officers of hiding “like snakes in the grass” to yet again bust its outspoken co-owner.
“We will not back down! You have not scared us!! The world is watching and it’s time for everyone to wake up!” the bar wrote in a since-deleted Facebook post.
Presti’s arrest last week drew a protest at the pub from dozens of angry supporters.
On Sunday evening, a lone supporter protested outside the bar, holding a sign that read, “Hands off Mac, political hacks!”
“I think that they have to come after him because this movement resonates amongst the people,” said the protester, Gary Phaneuf, 64.
“This is a deliberate attack, not just on Danny but on this entire movement that is growing that they have to nip in the bud.”