The Nassau County Police Department said a police chase on Glen Cove Road ended with the arrest of a Bronx man in East Hills early last Friday.
According to detectives, a patrol officer observed a newer model gray Jeep Cherokee and a 2016 Lincoln Navigator driving southbound on Glen Cove Road at a high rate of speed around 4 a.m. Police were unclear as to the nature of the chase.
“The officer activated her emergency lights to conduct a vehicle and traffic law stop,” the department said in a statement. “The vehicles refused to comply and continued southbound. The operator of the Navigator was forced to brake abruptly to avoid striking a tractor trailer. The operator attempted to strike the officer’s patrol car. The subject accelerated at a high rate of speed while attempting to go around the tractor trailer and lost control of the Lincoln.”
Police said the Lincoln struck a telephone pole, fence and a tree in the East Hills area of the road. After colliding with the tree, a large branch fell and struck the officer’s cruiser, and the driver was placed under arrest, the department said. Glen Cove Road was also closed for several hours to clear the damage.
The Jeep fled southbound on Glen Cove Road and was not recovered, according to detectives.
The Lincoln driver, Rodolfo Lopez, 23, of the Bronx, was taken to an area hospital for non-life threatening injuries and was found to be in possession of multiple stolen credit cards, according to the department. A subsequent investigation revealed the Lincoln was stolen from Old Brookville.
The police officer, who was not identified, suffered injuries to her left forearm, hand, collar bone and neck. She was brought to an area hospital, treated and released.
Lopez is charged with assault, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment. obstructing governmental administration, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and multiple unspecified vehicle and traffic law infractions.
The defendant will be arraigned when “medically practical,” and the investigation was ongoing for the Jeep driver, according to police.
