A Friday night flare-up at a Long Island hotel turned into a hazmat-style scare, after police say a woman sprayed an unknown substance into a crowd and left four people headed to the hospital with irritation.
Nassau County police say officers were called to the La Quinta Inn in East Garden City at about 8:44 p.m. on Friday, June 12. When they arrived, they arrested 33-year-old Jacquelyn Chan without incident. Investigators say a physical fight broke out in a common area of the hotel, and during that altercation Chan allegedly sprayed an unidentified substance into a group of people. Four people were taken to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment of irritation. Chan is now facing charges that include criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and police say they also discovered she had an active Nassau County warrant, according to had an active Nassau County warrant.
What Investigators Say Happened Inside The Hotel
Detectives describe the incident as starting with a physical altercation in a shared area of the hotel, before the spray was released into the crowd. Officials have not publicly identified what the substance was and say lab testing is underway to determine exactly what the victims were exposed to.
Charges On The Table And The Court Date
Chan was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. She was scheduled for arraignment on Saturday at First District Court in Hempstead. Prosecutors are expected to review lab results and the full investigative file to decide whether any additional charges should be brought.
How The Charges Fit New York Law
Under New York’s penal law, Article 265 lays out the rules around criminal possession of weapons, covering which items are prohibited and the degrees of the offense. Reckless endangerment is defined separately under Penal Law Section 120.20, which spells out the conduct that can lead to that charge and the circumstances that can increase its severity. Full statute language and offense levels are available via the New York State Senate and the New York State Senate.
What Comes Next In The Case
Nassau County police say the investigation is ongoing and that the key unanswered question is what, exactly, was in the spray. Lab testing will determine the nature of the substance and could shape how the case proceeds in court. Authorities say the four people taken to the hospital did not suffer reported life-threatening injuries, and they plan to release more information after the testing and investigative review are complete.
