Man Crashes Stolen Jeep Into 2 Police Cars In Suffolk: SCPD

MOUNT SINAI, NY — A man was arrested Wednesday morning in Mount Sinai after police said he crashed a stolen vehicle into two Suffolk police cars while fleeing from officers. Two officers were injured during the incident, police said.

Christopher Cruz, 30, who is a homeless person, stole a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the driveway of a home on Oakland Avenue in Port Jefferson Station at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Officers in an unmarked police vehicle saw the Jeep pull into the parking lot of Mobil, at 1889 Route 112, Coram, around 12:05 a.m., police said. Officers in marked police cars arrived moments later, police said. Cruz rammed the Jeep into one of the police vehicles, injuring an officer, and then drove off, police said.

Cruz soon lost control of the Jeep and crashed into a snowbank near Canal Road and Strathmore Court in Mount Sinai, police said. When officers arrived, Cruz rammed the Jeep into a second police car and tried to drive away before hitting another snowbank and coming to a stop at 12:15 a.m., police said. Another officer was injured as Cruz was being taken into custody, police said.

Cruz was treated for minor injuries at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson and then released, police said. The two injured police officers were brought to a local hospital to be treated for injuries that are not life-threatening, police said.

Cruz was charged with third-degree grand larceny, second-degree assault, third-degree criminal mischief and resisting arrest. He was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Wednesday.