Man claims Suffolk officer used excessive force in West Islip incident

With his attorneys present, Craig Costello spoke with News 12 about the incident that occurred in January. He claims he didn’t notice that a Suffolk officer had his lights on and followed him from a CVS to his brother’s home in West Islip.

News 12 Staff

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Jul 24, 2020, 6:37 PM

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Updated 1,584 days ago

A Suffolk man is suing a Suffolk police officer, accusing him of using excessive force.

With his attorneys present, Craig Costello spoke with News 12 about the incident that occurred in January. He claims he didn’t notice that a Suffolk officer had his lights on and followed him from a CVS to his brother’s home in West Islip.

“I didn’t know he was behind me until I actually physically stood out of my car and looked and saw the light,” Costello said. “And then, out of the light, comes some guy running at me with a gun pointed at my head and throws a kick at my chest.”

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Moments later, the officer used a Taser on Costello. The incident was caught on a security video outside the home.

“The use of a Taser gun and a bolt of electricity into Craig’s chest was not reasonable under these circumstances by any stretch,” said attorney Alexander Klein.

The Suffolk County Police Department told News 12 that it cannot comment on pending litigation.

Costello’s attorneys say their client was being investigated because his license was expired. He was charged with driving with a suspended license.

“Whether or not Mr. Costello committed a traffic violation was beside the point. What is at issue here is the textbook use of excessive force, where there’s simply no justification at all for the officer’s conduct,” said attorney Bruce Barket.