Police: Flanders Man Suffers Severe Burns During Dispute

A 25-year-old man from Flanders suffered severe burns after allegedly having hot water poured on him on Sept. 17, but refused to share any information about his attacker with police, according to a police report.

Southampton Town Police responded to a call from East Street in Flanders on Saturday about a young man suffering burns. When officers arrived, the man yelled obscenities, did not cooperate with police, and refused to share any information, stating that he was not a “snitch” and would not give or sign a statement, police said.

The Flanders-Northampton Volunteer Ambulance took the man, whose name was not disclosed, to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. From there, he was taken to the Stony Brook University Center Medical Center Burn Unit for further treatment, according to police.

Eventually, police said they were able to induce the man to call his suspected attacker on his cell phone. The man admitted pouring water on the Flanders man, who, he said, spit on him, according to reports.

The case is active and will be referred to the town police’s detectives' office, according to police documents.

Southampton Town Police Sergeant Michael Zarro said that given the severity of the victim’s injuries, detectives will most likely push him to provide more details and possibly press charges against the attacker. The incident was listed as second-degree assault, a felony.

“But it depends on the investigation,” Sgt. Zarro said.