The assailants in the Deer Park case forced their way into a Crossway Drive home, attacked the man and stole cash shortly at 11:50 p.m. Friday, police said.

The victim, who was home alone at the time, was treated at Good Samaritan Hospital in Bay Shore and released.

There have been no arrests made. Third Squad detectives are continuing the investigation.

The case marks the 16th armed home invasion in Suffolk this year.

After a police officer fatally shot a suspect and a hostage in Uniondale over the weekend, Nassau County is up to eight home invasions since January.

Suffolk County police said Robert Fattibene, 53, of Smithtown, was driving a Dodge Durango northbound on Commack Road when he crossed into the southbound lane and hit a Nissan Altima driven by 32-year-old Herver Leonel Garcia Munoz of Brentwood at 6:35 p.m.

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

Yesenia Marilu Martinez Vasquez, 24, a passenger in the Nissan, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital.

Justin Martinez, the toddler who was riding with his mother and father in the car, was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip. Both the mother and child are listed in critical condition.

First Squad detectives impounded the vehicles for safety checks, are continuing the investigation and ask anyone with information about the crash to contact them at 631-854-8152.

The events range from fundraisers for Superstorm Sandy survivors and family events for the kids to local bars and restaurants offering specials on burritos, margaritas and Coronas—so break out that souvenir sombrero from Cancun.

But, before leaving the house in a poncho, here’s a quick North American history refresher lesson:  Cinco de Mayo is not—like some people mistakenly believe—Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept.16.

The holiday commemorates the Battle of Puebla, when Mexican forces turned back invading French troops in 1862—a symbol of resiliency for the world’s most populous Spanish-speaking nation.

And for those who still remember their high school Spanish 101, here’s a potentially useful bonus factoid—a Mexican saying that may come in handy on the Long Island Rail Road this weekend: “A boca de borracho, oídos de cantinero.”

It translates to “the mouth of drunk, ears of barman.” It basically means ignore the loud drunks.

Saturday
10 a.m.-5 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Dive Meet, Nassau County Aquatic Center, Eisenhower Park, East Meadow, 516-572-0501.

2-4 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at the Long Island Children’s Museum, 11 Davis Ave., Garden City, 516-224-5800.

Cinco de Mayo Kickoff Party, Napper Tandy’s Irish Pub, 275 Rte 25A, Miller Place, 631-331-5454. $4 Coronas and margaritas.

May 4-5: Cinco de Mayo Weekend at The Nutty Irishman. 323 Main St. Farmingdale. 516-293-9700. $4 Coronas, 8-10 p.m.

Sunday
11 a.m.-2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Festival at the Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market. 4558 Sound Ave, Aquebogue, 631-523-6608

11 a.m.-2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at the Long Island Game Farm Wildlife Park. 638 Chapman Blvd, Manorville, 631-878-6644. www.longislandgamefarm.com

12-2:30 p.m. or 3-5:30 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Kid’s Fun Skate. United Skates of America, 1276 Hicksville Rd. Seaford, 516-795-5474.

2 p.m., Cinco de Mayo: Serenata Mexicana. The Suffolk Theater, 118 E. Main St. Riverhead, 631- 727-4343. $35.

2-3 p.m., Latin Music. Long Island Museum of American Art, History and Carriages, 1200 Route 25A  Stony Brook, 631-751-0066

2-5 p.m., Mambo Loco at Martha Clara Vineyards. 6025 Sound Ave. Riverhead, 631-298-0075

3-8 p.m., Cinco de Mayo Party, Sandy survivor fundraiser, Knights of Columbus, 2333 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore, 516-785-9407. $40.

3-9 p.m., Cinco de Mayo at Pefecto Mundo Latin Bistro. 1141-1 Jericho Turnpike, Commack, 631-864-2777.

10 p.m.-12 a.m., Cinco de Mayo at Lily Flanagan’s Pub. 345 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-539-0816

Cinco de Mayo Party at Dublin Deck. 325 River Ave, Patchogue, 631-207-0370.

Cinco de Moe’s at Moe’s Southwest Grill, multiple locations. Homewrecker burrito, chips and salsa for $5 and bobblehead Cinco de Moe’s collector’s cups.

Margaritas and Fajitas at Cozymel’s Mexican Grill, 1177 Corporate Dr., Westbury.11 a.m.-12 a.m.

Buy two tacos get one free at Chico’s Tex-Mex Restaurant, 18 Berryhill Rd., Syosset, 516-802-3500. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

$2 tacos, $5 nacho platters, $3 beers and $4 margaritas and sangrias at Swell Taco, 135 Deer Park Ave., Babylon, 631-482-1299. 12-4 p.m.

$5 margaritas, $3 beers, free giveaways, Don Juan’s, multiple locations.

-Compiled by Danny Mounce

In the first case, two men forced their way into an apartment on Floyd Street in Deer Park and pistol-whipped a woman who was a visitor shortly before 2 p.m. Tuesday, police said.

Then shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday, three men armed with handguns forced their way into a home on Southaven Avenue in Medford and confronted a resident inside, police said.

The attackers in the first case stole a cell phone. The assailants in the second case made off with cash, cigarettes and an iPod.

There were neither arrests nor description of the suspects in either case. Police do not believe the two to be linked.

The back-to-back cases come after a string of 13 armed home invasions in Suffolk in the first three months of this year, three of which involved shootings, one fatal.

Nassau County police meanwhile have reported seven armed home invasions so far this year.

They include unsolved cases in North Woodmere this week, in Elmont last week, as well as three in March in Baldwin, Roosevelt and Hempstead.

Nassau police also arrested alleged home invasion suspects last month in Farmingdale and three attempted Elmont home invasion suspects in February.

The Suffolk County SPCA is asking for the public’s help in finding who shot this opossum in the face.

Two decapitated animal heads were found in East Northport on Tuesday, the same day an opossum was discovered to be suffering from pellet-gun wounds in Holtsville, Suffolk County SPCA investigators said.

The pair of severed heads—belonging to either sheep or goats—was in a plastic bag near the intersection of Elwood and Warner Roads in East Northport, authorities said.

“We find this deeply disturbing,” said Roy Gross, chief of the Suffolk SPCA, noting that it’s the second time in less than a year that animal remains have been found in the same area.

The Holtsville resident who reported finding the opossum alive in a garbage pail took it to a veterinarian who determined that the animal had been shot in the face with a pellet gun, officials said.

“This is a blatant act of animal cruelty and we will do everything we can to see that those responsible are apprehended,” Gross said of the opossum shooting.

The animal head case comes after a bag of decapitated animals was found Deer Park last year, 18 headless chickens were found in Manorville in 2011 and a beheaded goat turned up in Islip in 2009.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Suffolk County SPCA at 631-382-7722.

The trio broke into a New York Avenue apartment while armed with at least one gun, stole money from a victim inside and fled the scene at 11:50 p.m. Feb. 5, a Suffolk County police spokeswoman said.

Police arrested 27-year-old John Steele of Wyandanch on Sunday. His two alleged accomplices, 23-year-old Belinda Ortiz of Brentwood and 21-year-old Tasean Berry of Deer Park, were arrested on Monday.

All three were charged with burglary. Berry and Ortiz are scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip.

Bail for Steele was set at $500,000 bond or $250,000 cash. He is due back in court Thursday.

Of the nine armed Suffolk home invasions since Jan. 15, one left a 21-year-old Flanders man dead last month and another in Central Islip last week left two victims hospitalized after one was shot and the other was pistol-whipped.

Suffolk County police arrested Angel Laporte after a woman witnessed him masturbating at the Barnes and Noble book store on East Jericho Turnpike in East Northport at 9:50 p.m. Friday, authorities said. The woman yelled and the 54-year-old man fled, but officers apprehended him at his home Saturday.

Second Squad detectives suspect Laporte also committed public acts of lewdness at the Deer Park Public Library on Jan. 5 and at the Commack Public Library and the West Babylon Public Library on May 7, 2012.

Laporte is wanted by the New Milford Police Department in Connecticut for failing to register as a sex offender. Special Victim’s Unit detectives are also investigating.

Laporte was charged with public lewdness and will be arraigned Sunday at First District Court in Central Islip.

Have you seen this robbery and home invasion suspect?

Suffolk County police released Wednesday a composite sketch of a suspect wanted for a Deer Park robbery and a North Bay Shore home invasion last month.

Police said the suspect and his accomplice first approached the victim at the Deer Park business that the victim owned, assaulted him and stole cash and the owner’s driver’s license at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 12.

The men threatened to come back to the victim’s business or home. Nine days later, one of the men forced their way into the victim’s North bay Shore home, demanded those inside to tell them where the victim was and stole a briefcase containing cash and business records, police said.

Third Squad detectives are seeking the public’s help in identifying and locating the suspect in the sketch who participated in both incidents.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

The eastbound non-passenger train was heading to the Ronkonkoma yard while traveling at the maximum allowable speed of 80 mph when it hit the 2010 Nissan at the Second Street crossing just west of the station at 10 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.

“At the point of impact, apparently the car burst into flames,” said Sal Arena, an LIRR spokesman, noting that the engineer honked the horn and hit the emergency brakes but couldn’t stop in time. “When it came to a halt, the burning continued.”

MTA police are waiting for Suffolk County medical examiners to complete the victims’ autopsies to confirm the identities of the victims, whose bodies were burned beyond recognition.

The engineer, conductor and assistant conductor aboard the train were not injured. The front of the train was badly burned and the vehicle was partly lodged under the first car.

Brentwood Fire Department firefighters extinguished the flames. MTA police then pulled the victims from the wreckage.

Witnesses told MTA police that they saw the car drive around the gates, which were down with lights flashing at the time, Arena said. He added that computer data has confirmed the accounts of witnesses and LIRR workers that the gates were down at the time.

Service was suspended and buses replaced trains for about five hours between Farmingdale and Ronkonkoma while crews repaired a third rail that was damaged in the crash. Service was restored in time for the evening eastbound rush hour commute.

The incident is similar to a May 17, 2011 incident in which a bread delivery truck driver was killed when he tried to beat the train by going around the gate just east of the Deer Park station—the next stop west of the Brentwood station.