Man Steals Tanker Truck From Ronkonkoma Gas Station: Police

RONKONKOMA, NY — A Ronkonkoma man was arrested and charged after police say he stole an 18-wheeler tanker truck from a gas station in Ronkonkoma and fled an officer Saturday.

Welsey Shurman, 23, stole a parked 2018 Peterbilt Motors tanker truck from the 76 gas station at 3821 Veterans Memorial Highway, at 4:30 p.m., police said. An employee called 911, alerting police. Sixth Precinct Police Officer Robert Dwyer saw the 18-wheeler heading east on Portion Road in Farmingville and tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Shurman drove off, police said. The officer followed the tanker truck, which crashed into a stop sign and came to a halt on Stuyvesant Drive in Selden, police said.

Shurman was arrested and charged with second-degree grand larceny, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, as well as several vehicle and traffic violations. Shurman had also been arrested Friday and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and six bench warrants, police said. He was arraigned on the Friday charges at First District Court in Central Islip and released Saturday. He is scheduled for arraignment Sunday at First District Court in Central Islip after he was held at the precinct Saturday night.