Nassau van driver charged in string of assaults on developmentally disabled woman behind Home Depot, police say
Authorities allege the driver assaulted a developmentally disabled woman in the AHRC vehicle over more than three years; suspect arrested and arraigned.
A van driver for the Nassau County Association for the Help of Retarded Children sexually assaulted a developmentally disabled woman in a van behind a Jericho Home Depot on multiple occasions from March 2022 through Sept. 12, according to Nassau County police. Steven Harrison, 62, of Roosevelt, allegedly drove his AHRC van behind the Jericho outlet of the home improvement retailer before sexually assaulting the woman and returning to work, police said.
The assaults occurred over a span of more than three years, according to investigators. The victim, who was 24 when the alleged assaults began, reported the incidents on Thursday, and relatives notified police, cops said. Nassau County police described the acts as repeated rape during that period.
Harrison, a Roosevelt resident, was arrested Sept. 23 at the AHRC location in Brookville after a thorough investigation, according to authorities. He was charged with third-degree rape, endangering the welfare of an incompetent physically disabled person, and second-degree sexual assault, police said. Records show he was arraigned on the charges Wednesday and ordered held on $250,000 cash bail or a bond of up to $2 million, pending a return to Nassau County court on Friday. Harrison pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The AHRC, which provides services for people with developmental disabilities in Nassau County, confirmed Harrison was employed as a van driver at the organization at the time of the alleged offenses. The case highlights concerns about safeguarding for residents with developmental disabilities who rely on care programs and transportation services.
