Long Island ex-con arrested for striking Manhattan cop with tire iron, bat in unprovoked attack

A Long Island ex-con was nabbed for striking a Manhattan cop with a tire iron and a metal bat in an unprovoked attack, police said Saturday.

Nicholas Salemi, 36, of Brentwood was arrested and charged with assault in the second and third degree, and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, court records show.

The officer and his partner were driving in their patrol car near Clinton and Delancey Sts. on the Lower East Side when Salemi angrily approached the pair at about 3:35 a.m. on Friday, police said.

Salemi, described as being "extremely aggravated," threw a bottle of water into the patrol car before he began swinging a tire iron and a metal bat around.

The enraged man threw the tire iron at the officer, striking him in his right shoulder, cops said.

Salemi didn't stop there — he then struck the cop with the baseball bat, knocking him to the ground, police said.

The officer was taken to Bellevue Hospital where he was being treated for pain and bruising to his right shoulder and a gash on his left shin, cops and sources said.

Salemi's arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court was pending Saturday morning.