Man Tries to Flee Police, Intentionally Strikes 2 Officers: Cops

RIDGE, NY – Two Suffolk County Police officers were injured when a man intentionally struck them with a van while fleeing from a traffic stop Thursday evening, police said.

According to police, 31-year-old Robert McDowell was driving a 2002 Ford van south on Smith Road in Ridge when Seventh Precinct Gang Unit officers Sgt. Patrick Kelly and Police Officer Brian Klammer initiated a traffic stop near Strathmore Ridge Drive at 6:25 p.m. The officers were in plain clothes in an unmarked vehicle.

During the traffic stop, the officers discovered McDowell was driving with a suspended license. When McDowell was asked to step out of the vehicle, he refused, police said.

He put the van in drive and accelerated while Klammer was on the driver’s side and Kelly was on the passenger’s side of the vehicle, causing injuries to Klammer’s hand, knee, and lower leg, police said. Kelly suffered injuries to his hand, wrist, and knee.

Despite their injuries, both officers pursued the fleeing vehicle and observed McDowell throwing suspected contraband out the window during the pursuit, police said.

The van continued southbound on William Floyd Parkway and was stopped south of Yaphank Commons Drive with the assistance of several other units.

McDowell remained combative and had to be removed from the vehicle, subdued, and arrested, police said. Canine Section officers recovered contraband on the side of the road.

Kelly and Klammer were transported to Stony Brook University Hospital via police vehicle. They were treated for their injuries and released. McDowell was transported to Long Island Community Hospital in East Patchogue where he was treated for minor abrasions and contusions and released for processing.

McDowell, of Bohemia, was charged with two counts of second degree assault, tampering with physical evidence, criminal impersonation, resisting arrest, second degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without an interlock device. He also had three outstanding misdemeanor warrants, police said.

McDowell was held overnight at the Seventh Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.