Bethpage-Tribune_1988-02-18

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BETHPA6E
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Island Trees Plainedge
also serving
Seaford Old Bethpage Plainview
VOL. 32 NO. 40 February 18 to February 24,1988 20 CENTS PER COPY
and Arrested in Bethpage Bludgeonin
On Wednesday, February 17, Nas­sau
County Detectives arrested Tho­mas
Porcella in New Jersey on a war­rant
charging him with attempted
murder and first degree assault in the
bludgeoning of his wife of three
months Anne Marie Porcella.
The story unfolded as follows: It
was reported that on February 14,
Valentines Day a Bethpage newly wed
was found severely battered in her
basement apartment located at 5
Nibbe Lane. She was taken to Nassau
County Medical Center where she was
admitted in critical condition suffer­ing
from four depressed skull frac­tures
and brain swelling. Anne Marie
Porcella, a 24 year old Laboratory
Technician, underwent three hours of
surgery to repair her injuries which
were believed to be caused by a heavy
blunt instrument, possibly a tool.
Earlier in the week, it was reported
that Anne Marie was found by Tho­mas
Porcella, her husband. The cou­ple
had planned to have a pre-
Valentine's Day celebration on
Saturday, February 13th, but Tho­mas,
a truck driver, after returning
home from work at 5:30 P.M. decided
to cancel their plans because he was
tired, the couple quarreled and Tho­mas
left the apartment not returning
until 5 A.M. the next morning.
Thomas told authorities he
returned home early Sunday morn­ing,
slept in his car for about an hour
then let himself into the apartment
and dozed off while watching televi­sion.
He was awakened by a stirring in
the bedroom and entered the bed­room
finding it splattered with blood,
blood on the bed, bedcovers, and pil­lows.
He then went into the bathroom
where he found his wife standing in
front of the mirror, trying to stop the
flow of blood from her wounds by
wrapping a towel around her head.
Thomas then took his wife into the
kitchen where he called 911. Anne
Marie was rushed by ambulance to
the hospital where she was admitted in
an unconscious state.
Anne Marie slipped in and out of
consciousness and was put on a respi­rator.
She underwent surgery to lift
pieces of bone back into their original
position. On Tuesday, hospital spo­kesman
stated that Anne Marie was
recovering and was removed from the
respirator, however she is being moni­tored
closely for any changes in her
condition. It is believed that Anne
Marie will not have any residual dam­age
and is awake and conscious at this
time.
Police officials have questioned
Anne Marie but have declined to
comment on the nature of their con­versation.
Although police hypothis-ize
that the beating occurred while
Anne Marie was asleep they are not
prepared to comment on the content
of their investigation at this time,
other than to state Thomas Porcella
was arrested and charged with first'
degree assault and attempted murder.
Other sources said Porcella went to
New Jersey sometime Tuesday to
enroll in a drug rehabilitation
program.
On Wednesday evening, we spoke
with a Nibbe Lane resident who stated
that he did hear noises from the
apartment, but when he looked out
his window he didn't see anything, so
he dismissed the thought that a
serious crime was taking place,
because things like this don't happen
in Bethpage. Shortly afterwards, he
was shocked to see an ambulance at
the apartment. We also spoke with
Anne Marie's mother as she was gath­ering
some of her daughters belong­ings
from the Nibbe Lane apartment.
She was very upset but told our repor­ter
that Anne Marie was doing fine.
Anne Marie Porcella and Thomas Porcella as they appeared three months ago
on their Wedding Day. Today Anne Marie remains in critical but stable condi­tion
after being bludgeoned in her Bethpage apartment. Her husband has been
charged with first degree assault and attempted murder and k being held without
bail and undergoing psychiatric evaluation.
The Long Island Railroad is now
alerting passengers that as of Febru­ary
15, smoking will no longer be
permitted on LIRR trains, including
bar cars, parlor cars and vestibules.
Informational flyers were distributed
to commuters on trains and at sta­tions.
In addition, announcements
will be made and posters will be
installed on trains and at stations to
remind riders of the smoking ban.
In December, Congress passed an
appropriations bill that included a
provision directing the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority to ban
smoking on the LIRR within 90 days
or lose hundreds of millions of dollars
in federal mass transit funds. Presi­dent
Reagan signed the legislation on
December 22. The MTA, the parent
agency of the LIRR, elected to adopt
a unified smoking ban on both the
Commuters having that last 'drag' before boarding the LIRR,
LIRR and Metro North Commuter
Railroad trains, effective February
15.
All LIRR employees have been not­ified
of the new policy through a letter
from LIRR President Bruce Mclver.
A second letter will go out to all oper­ating
employees describing responsi­bilities
in detail. Articles will also
appear in the company newsletter.
New York State Public Health sta­tutes
will govern the enforcement of
the smoking ban. LIRR police are
empowered to issue summonses to
violators, who are subject to fines of
uptoSlOd. For educational purposes,
LIRR Police Officers will issue
summons-sized flyers describing the
ban. After February 15, if they
observe smokers in violation of the
ban, police will issue summonses
when appropriate.
If train crew members come across
a smoker, they will inform the person
of the ban. If the violator persists,
police will be called.