A Williston Park defendant pleaded not guilty after authorities said his mother was beaten, choked and left unconscious.
MINEOLA, N.Y. — Prosecutors in Nassau County said a Williston Park man beat his 75-year-old mother with a metal object, choked her and left her unconscious inside her home before he was found nearby and charged with attempted murder.
The allegations turned a village assault case into a serious felony prosecution within a day. Police said the woman was hospitalized in stable condition after the Wednesday evening attack, while the defendant, John Strano, 37, was arrested later that night and brought to court on charges that include attempted murder and assault. The case now rests on what detectives say happened inside the Broad Street house, what the victim told police and how prosecutors frame the violence as evidence of an intent to kill.
Authorities said the attack happened shortly before 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, inside a home at 23 Broad St. in Williston Park. Nassau County police said the woman and her son had argued before the confrontation turned physical. Investigators said Strano shoved his mother to the floor, slammed her head against the ground repeatedly and punched her in the face numerous times. Detectives also accused him of striking her with a blunt metal object and obstructing her breathing by choking her. After the assault, police said, he ran from the home. Emergency responders took the woman to a hospital, where officials said she was in stable condition despite serious injuries.
By the time the case reached court, prosecutors added new details that sharpened the accusations. They said Strano used a metal clamp and struck the woman more than three dozen times in the back of the head. Prosecutors also said he shouted at her during the attack, including statements reported by local media as “Why aren’t you dying?” and “Why are you still breathing?” Those remarks, if introduced later in court, could become important to the prosecution’s argument about intent. Prosecutors said the woman suffered severe lacerations, major swelling to her face and head, and a loss of consciousness. Police have not released her name publicly, a common step in cases involving family violence and elderly victims.
The search for the suspect extended beyond the house and into the surrounding neighborhood. Witnesses described a heavy police presence as officers sealed off part of Broad Street and continued looking for Strano. Local reporting said he was eventually found about a mile away on the baseball field at Center Street Elementary School. Photos from the scene showed officers taking a man into custody there after students had already left campus for the day. Police said the arrest happened without incident. He was then taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation before entering the criminal process. The Herricks School District said only that it was aware of the situation and had no further comment.
Strano now faces second-degree attempted murder, two counts of second-degree assault, criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded after his arraignment, according to local reports. Public reports did not immediately identify a defense lawyer speaking on his behalf. The charges suggest prosecutors believe the level of violence went beyond a spontaneous assault and crossed into an effort to cause death. That question will likely shape the case as it moves through Nassau County court, where future hearings may address bail, evidence and whether the victim is able to testify about what happened inside the house.
The case also drew attention because of where it happened: not on a commercial strip or busy roadway, but inside a family home on a village block. Neighbors who saw police vehicles, investigators and a helicopter overhead were left with a scene that felt out of place in the middle of an ordinary weeknight. As detectives worked outside, the most important evidence was likely inside the home itself and in the victim’s account to officers. For now, many public details still come from police and prosecutors, while other questions remain unanswered, including what led to the argument and whether there had been any earlier domestic incidents known to authorities.
As of Friday, the woman remained hospitalized in stable condition and the defendant remained in custody after pleading not guilty. The next turning point will come in court, where prosecutors are expected to begin laying out more of the evidence tied to the April 1 assault.
Author note: Last updated April 4, 2026.