Press Release

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced today that Dee Lazersmith, 42, was arrested and charged with numerous counts of criminal mischief for allegedly slashing the tires of 27 separate vehicles along 42nd Avenue in Bayside. The incident took place between the hours of 1:00 AM and 7:00AM on Sunday, August 7th, 2022.

District Attorney Katz said, “As alleged, this defendant caused thousands of dollars’ worth of damage by going on a slashing spree alongside a quiet residential street. More than two dozen victims must now pay to repair and replace the vandalized vehicle tires. This senseless nuisance will not be tolerated in Queens County. The defendant is now charged accordingly and faces prison time if convicted.”

Lazersmith, of Bayside, Queens, was arrested on August 10, 2022 and charged with one count of criminal mischief in the second degree, 25 counts of criminal mischief in the third degree, and 27 counts of criminal mischief in the fourth degree. Today, the defendant was arraigned on the charges before Queens Criminal Court Judge Anthony M. Battisti, who ordered the defendant to return to court on October 6, 2022. Lazersmith faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.

According to the complaint, on August 7, 2022, between the hours of 1:00AM and 7:00AM, the defendant allegedly used a knife to slash the tires of 27 vehicles that were parked on 42nd Avenue, between 213th Street and Corporal Kennedy Street in Bayside, Queens. The estimated total damage to all the vehicles exceeds $13,000.

Continuing, DA Katz said the defendant was allegedly observed on video surveillance walking on the street before stopping and bending down near the tires of numerous parked vehicles.

As part of the investigation conducted by the 111th Police Precinct, a folding knife was recovered from the rear passenger door of the defendant’s vehicle, with what appears to be rubber on the tip of the blade.

The case is being prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Supreme Court Trial Division, under the supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney Pishoy Yacoub.