Police: Suspect Arrested After LIE Crash, Chase That Left Man Seriously Hurt
HOLTSVILLE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- An alleged drunk driver caused a wild chain of events that spanned two towns and left another man seriously injured on Long Island, police said Thursday.
Jonathan Moore, 26, was arrested after an overnight chase that police said began with a three-car crash just before midnight near exit 62 off the Long Island Expressway in Holtsville.
Moore, allegedly drunk, crashed his vehicle into two other cars on the LIE and then took off running, police said.
Police: Suspect Arrested After LIE Crash, Chase That Left Man Seriously Hurt
Investigators said a man at the scene started chasing Moore across the South Service Road, but was hit by a van and injured.
Meanwhile, police said Moore had made his way to the lot of Pride Solvents and Chemicals on Long Island Avenue where he jumped the fence, hopped into one of their tractor-trailers, plowed through the gate and kept going.
The manager said because of their barbed wire security gate, they often leave their trucks parked with the key in the ignition, which made it easy for the suspect to jump in and take off.
Moore then drove 7 miles before crashing the tractor-trailer on Route 112 in Patchogue in front of 20th Century Cars, police said. That's when he broke into the used car business and tried to find keys to one of the cars, police said
"The tractor was there, he came this way, used his hand and punched the glass," owner Gregg Ross told CBS2's Janelle Burrell. "He was looking for keys to steal a car and get out."
When Ross arrived at his office Thursday morning, he said he found bloody hand prints, broken doors and a ransacked office.
"To steal a tractor-trailer and then try to steal one of my cars, he was running pretty hard," Ross said.
Officers were able to nab Moore just a few yards away after he fled the business, police said. Moore was banged up when he was arrested and was treated and released from an area hospital, police said.
The man who was hit by the van is in the hospital with a serious leg injury, police said.
"He's hurting innocent people. It's just not right," said Ross.
Moore now faces multiple charges, including grand larceny, criminal mischief, burglary, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident, police said.
In court on Thursday, the judge said the allegations against Moore are extremely serious, and bail was set at $85,000, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall reported.
"He has expressed remorse for anybody that might have been injured in this situation," said Moore's attorney, Victor Knapp.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sixth Squad of Suffolk County Police at 631-854-8652.
