Smithtown council clash turns violent, one member charged with assault

A private Smithtown Town Board argument spilled into a criminal case after Suffolk County police charged Councilman Thomas Lohmann with third-degree assault, following a confrontation that Councilman Tom McCarthy said turned physical inside executive session at Patrick R. Vecchio Town Hall.

Video from the April 7 meeting showed McCarthy pushing Lohmann’s chair before confronting him. McCarthy said that was only part of the clash, telling News 12 that Lohmann shoved his shoulder and punched him in the jaw during the closed-door session, where Town Supervisor Ed Wehrheim, the town attorney and other officials were present. McCarthy said his face was sore and swollen and that he was waiting for MRI results while also considering a restraining order.

The episode carries weight far beyond one hallway dispute because the Smithtown Town Board and supervisor are responsible for ordinances, the budget, personnel matters, and town-wide planning and zoning. The board is a five-member body, with the supervisor presiding at meetings, making the public’s confidence in the board’s conduct central to how the town functions.

The April 7 meeting had been scheduled for 2 p.m. at Patrick R. Vecchio Town Hall, 99 West Main St. The town says draft agendas are generally posted after 5 p.m. the day before meetings, a routine that places the board’s business squarely in view of residents trying to track decisions on land use, spending and town operations.

Lohmann was arrested on Wednesday, April 8, after the Tuesday incident, according to Suffolk County police. Newsday reported the charge as third-degree assault. The allegation lands especially hard in Smithtown because Lohmann is a former Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office detective who retired to serve as a full-time town councilman.

McCarthy has served Smithtown residents since 1998 and also serves as deputy supervisor. He said he helped appoint Lohmann in 2018, underscoring how quickly a relationship built inside town government collapsed into police action. Smithtown’s 2024 financial statements list Wehrheim, McCarthy, Lohmann, Councilwoman Lisa M. Inzerillo and Councilwoman Lynne C. Nowick as elected board members.

For residents, the question now is not only what happened in executive session, but how a board entrusted with local government reached a point where one member was charged with assault against another. The next test for Smithtown will be whether its leaders can restore order, transparency and basic trust before the conflict spreads further into town business.