Four people—including two Suffolk County Police officers—were injured after a man later charged with driving while under the influence of drugs led officers on a chase that ended when he hit a car before ramming a police cruiser in Eastport.
After hitting the cruiser on Old Country Road, which caused it to strike a second police vehicle, George Athanasopoulos, 27, of Center Moriches then exited his 2008 Dodge Dakota and attempted to flee the scene on foot, according to Suffolk Police. He was apprehended a short time later and arrested, they said.
None of the injuries was life threatening, according to authorities.
Suffolk Police said they tried to pull Mr. Athanasopoulos over at around 9:30 a.m. on Moriches-Middle Island Road in Manorville for a traffic violation. They said he refused to stop and, for the next 10 to 15 minutes, led officers on a chase while traveling east.
According to police, Mr. Athanasopoulos eventually made his way to Eastport and struck a car on Old Country Road, just west of Tuttle Avenue. Next, after traveling about 100 yards, he hit a marked police car and the force of the impact caused the cruiser to hit a second police vehicle, authorities said.
Mr. Athanasopoulos then exited his car and fled on foot along Old Country Road before being apprehended by Suffolk Police a short time later, according to a spokesman for the Suffolk County Police Department. He was arrested at approximately 10 a.m.
Both the driver and a passenger of the car suffered minor injuries and were transported to the Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead, police said.
The two officers in the cars hit by Mr. Athanasopoulos also suffered non-life threatening injures, authorities said. Both were transported to the Stony Brook University Medical Center.
Mr. Athanasopoulos was charged with second-degree assault and second-degree criminal mischief, both felonies, as well as seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and driving while his ability was impaired by drugs, both misdemeanors, police said. He was also charged with two counts of third-degree unlawful fleeing in a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and leaving the scene of an accident, all misdemeanors.
Mr. Athanasopoulos was taken to the 7th Precinct in Shirley. He will be held overnight and is scheduled to be arraigned in the First District Court in Central Islip on Friday morning.
Westhampton War Memorial Ambulance Chief Rita Wyatt, whose company transported one of the injured officers to the hospital, said several police cars appeared to be involved with the chase.
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Article source: http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Eastport/400179/Two-Police-Officers-Injured-In-Car-Chase-That-Ends-In-Eastport
