Nassau County legislator arrested on assault and endangerment charges
HEMPSTEAD, Long Island (WABC) -- Nassau County Legislator Carrie Solages has been charged with two misdemeanors after police say an argument with his girlfriend turned violent.
Solages, 38, is charged with third-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
He is currently serving his third term as a Nassau County Legislator.
He was walked from the police precinct to the courthouse Wednesday morning. Watch video of it here:
Solages said nothing about the charges against him as he left his arraignment Wednesday afternoon. Instead his defense attorney did the talking.
"He has given his service to the public. Now what he asks of the public is that they give him his presumption of innocence," said defense attorney Brian Griffin.
But Solages will have an uphill battle against others already piling on against him.
"And while the investigation continues, legislator Solages should do the right and honorable thing and step down immediately," said District 4 Legislator Denise Ford.
It is because of the shocking allegations of domestic abuse, over marijuana. "When I told him I did not have his marijuana, he became enraged," stated Solages' girlfriend in a deposition obtained in court Wednesday.
"Was there an argument about missing marijuana in the house?", we asked Griffin. "We are not going to parse out anything further in the case other than to do it in that courtroom," the attorney said.
But the allegations go beyond that, that Solages grabbed his girlfriend by the arm and neck and pushed her into a wall at her house in Valley Stream Tuesday night.
And in court papers she also states, "This abuse has been going on for at least two years... Carrie always tells me that he owns the police department and the courts... He believes if I call the police on him nothing will happen to him."
"Again..allegations, not proof of anything," said Griffin. "Anything that's unreported, you should question whether it ever happened."
Solages' girlfriend was treated for scratches to her left forearm and severe pain to her neck and arm.
His 3-year-old son was also in the house at the time but was unharmed.
According to court papers, the woman's 15-year-old daughter tried to intervene, which is why Solages was charged with endangering the welfare of a child.
He serves the 3rd Legislative District, which includes Valley Stream, Floral Park, Inwood, parts of Lawrence and North Woodmere.
He is also a former Bronx assistant district attorney.
Solages' constituents were genuinely stunned. "He is not the type of guy that I thought would have lost his cool," said Serge Clark.
As legislators on both sides of the aisle in Nassau County show remarkable solidarity, and it's not in support of their colleague.
"No woman should live like that. Even the accusations of this nature should be taken very seriously," said District 14 Legislator Laura Schaefer.
"We truly believe if these allegations are proven to be correct, he should remove himself now rather than later," said District 1 Legislator Kevin Abrahams.
