Cops: Altercation Leads to Gunshot in Riverhead

An altercation led to a Flanders man shooting a gun at a Riverhead resident on Wednesday night, police say.

Riverhead Town Police responded to a call at 500 Lincoln Street at approximately 5:17 p.m. on Wednesday after a report of alleged menacing.

Riverhead resident William Kowalski, 27, reported having an alleged physical altercation with Joseph M. Smith, 50, that location. According to police, Kowalski alleged that the altercation culminated with Smith firing a .32 caliber handgun at him.

Police say Kowalski was not struck by the bullet.

Smith allegedly fled the scene before police arrived. Information was forwarded to Southampton Town police, who subsequently located Smith outside his Flanders residents.

Members of the Riverhead Town police responded to Flanders, where they arrested Smith and charged him with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, and menacing in the second degree.

Smith was held overnight at the Riverhead Town police department and arraigned in Riverhead Town justice court on Thursday. He was remanded to the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in lieu of $75,000 bail.