A Staten Island man charged with assaulting a woman during a domestic dispute and later allegedly attacking a New York Police Department officer inside a precinct was released without bail over prosecutors’ objection, court records show.
David Caccavale, 37, was first arrested on Aug. 29 after prosecutors say he kicked a woman during a domestic incident inside a Rye Avenue home. While held at the 123rd Precinct, prosecutors say Caccavale lunged at a police officer shortly before 2 a.m. the following day as he was being prepared for arraignment, throwing the officer to the floor and causing a shoulder injury.
Court documents filed after the precinct incident show Caccavale was charged later that morning with second- and third-degree assault, second-degree harassment, second-degree aggravated harassment and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration. Staten Island prosecutors asked that he be held on $20,000 cash bail or a $60,000 bond on the dual assaults, according to the complaint.
Judge Matthew Blum instead ordered Caccavale released on supervised release without bail. The state Office of Court Administration, which oversees New York’s judicial system, and Caccavale’s attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The criminal complaint alleges that the officer sustained physical injuries after being thrown to the floor during the encounter at the 123rd Precinct stationhouse. Prosecutors say the alleged lunge occurred while the officer was preparing Caccavale for transport to court for arraignment.
Caccavale is due back in court on Oct. 14. The records do not indicate whether any additional conditions were imposed as part of the supervised release order or whether prosecutors plan to seek further review of the release decision.
The case adds to ongoing scrutiny of pretrial release decisions in New York, where judges have discretion to set bail, impose monitored release, or detain defendants depending on charges, criminal history and perceived flight or public-safety risks. Prosecutors and defense counsel may differ on an appropriate release mechanism; when they do, judges weigh those arguments alongside statutory criteria and the facts presented at initial court appearances.
No further details about the alleged domestic assault victim’s condition were included in the court documents released publicly. The NYPD declined to provide additional comment beyond the allegations in the complaint. Additional proceedings in the case will be held in Staten Island court, where the prosecution must present evidence to support the charges filed against Caccavale.