Captain Helps Control Ferry Fight

A Shelter Island South Ferry captain had to step in and stop a drunken fight from heading overboard late Sunday night, according to police.

Michael Nomikos, 34, of Massapequa, and a 34-year-old Babylon man were fighting on the deck of the Shelter Island South Ferry at around 11:42 p.m. as it pulled into the dock on State Route 114 in North Haven, police said.

officers told Nomikos and the Babylon man to stop fighting and get on the ground, but Nomikos refused, according to his arrest report. Officers struggled to secure him in handcuffs and arrest him, police said.

The captain had to hold the Babylon man on the ground while officers apprehended Nomikos, police said. It is unclear what started the fight. Cliff Clark, one of the owners of the South Ferry, declined to share the captain's name.

Nomikos was charged with resisting arrest, a misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct, a violation. The Babylon man was charged with disorderly conduct, a violation. Southampton Patch's policy is to only identify suspects by name who are charged with misdemeanors and felonies, and not those solely charged with violations.

Clark said that both men called and apologized for their behavior, as well as provided renumeration to the company for overtime and cleanup costs.

“The police did a great job of responding to a situation that could’ve been much different,” Clark said.