Huntington man faces hate crime charges in ramming of car with Muslim men on way to mosque, DA says

A Huntington man faces multiple hate crime charges after allegedly threatening to kill four Muslim men and ramming his vehicle into theirs while both were stopped at a red light in town, the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said.

Brendan Marchetti, 35, was stopped at the red light about 9 a.m. on June 17 when the four men, dressed in traditional Muslim attire, pulled up in a car next to his, Suffolk prosecutors said in a news release.

Marchetti allegedly said "in sum and substance that he wanted to kill all Muslims, that all Muslims should die, and that he wanted to blow them up," District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Marchetti then allegedly drove his vehicle into the side of their car, causing damage exceeding $1,500, prosecutors said.

The four men were on their way to a mosque, according to the release.

"Prosecuting hate crimes is essential to not only protect victims but to also uphold the values of tolerance and respect, especially for other people’s religions," Tierney said. "Hate in any form has no place in Suffolk County, and those who perpetrate such acts will face the full force of the law."

Marchetti pleaded not guilty Wednesday before District Judge Rosann Orlando to second-degree criminal mischief as a hate crime, second-degree reckless endangerment as a hate crime and second-degree aggravated harassment as a hate crime, according to court documents.

"Judge Orlando ordered Marchetti to be placed on supervised release with mental health conditions," prosecutors said in the release.

He is due back in court in Central Islip on July 24. Marchetti is represented by the Legal Aid Society, which could not be reached for comment.

With John Valenti