A months-old political conflict erupted into violence Wednesday, Oct. 3, when former Saddle Rock Board of Trustees candidate Sasha Masri allegedly assaulted Mayor Dan Levy after the village Board of Trustees meeting.
Masri was arrested Thursday and charged with two counts of assault, possession of a dangerous weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance, according to a statement from the Nassau County Police Department.
Masri and Levy argued with each other following the adjournment of Wednesday’s meeting, according to interviews with Levy and with Masri’s attorney Meir Moza.
The argument escalated, and Masri allegedly struck Levy while holding a set of keys, according to the police report.
Masri then allegedly threw Levy into a bench, fracturing the mayor’s shoulder, before fleeing the scene.
After Masri surrendered to police the next day, officers allegedly found a tablet of the narcotic Suboxone in his possession.
Masri was arraigned at 1st District Court in Hempstead on Friday and released on bail.
Levy and Masri have a checkered political history. In March, Masri accused Levy of threatening him with prosecution over alleged discrepancies in his nomination petition during his campaign for a trustee seat. Levy said that he elected not to press charges out of concern for the effects such a case would have on the village, which had a population of 822 during the last census.
Masri, who was among three candidates competing for two board seats, lost the election with 15 percent of the vote.
Moza gave a conflicting account of the fight, alleging that Levy attacked Masri, who then acted in self-defense.
“Sasha stood up and talked, and then Levy apparently urged him to get out and cursed his mother,” said Moza. “Sasha came up to him face to face, and at that point pushing and shoving started.”
Moza said he did not know who initiated the violence, but that Masri felt threatened and was punched repeatedly by Levy, who stood over him.
According to Moza, Levy was injured during Masri’s attempts to escape, and Marsi did not intend to hurt the mayor.
Moza also called the police report inaccurate.
“In my option, the DA’s office or the police apparently is trying to use this… as a pretext for the felony [charge],” he said.
Levy disputed Moza’s account in an interview.
“The police have a very accurate accounting of what [Masri] has done, with pictures, and that’s not in dispute at all,” he said.
Village Attorney Jim Murphy said that trustee David Schwartz contradicted Moza’s account in an eyewitness report.
According to Murphy, Schwartz told police that Masri threw the first punch with his keys in hand, injuring Levy. Schwartz also reported that Masri gripped Levy in a bear hug and threw him into the bench, said Murphy.
Schwartz did not return a request for comment.
