Man Arrested After Injuring Police Officer

Suffolk County Police today arrested a man after he was involved in an incident that injured a police officer and led police on a pursuit into Nassau County.

Second Precinct Community Oriented Police Enforcement Officers (COPE) John McAleavey and Jean Paul Kergaravat were on patrol at the Park and Ride off exit 49 of the Long Island Expressway and noticed a vehicle that was wanted in connection with prior petit larcenies of gasoline. Officer McAleavey approached the vehicle and asked the male driver for his license. The driver then suddenly drove forward, hitting the officer with the side view mirror and the officer’s gun belt got caught on the mirror. The man continued driving with the officer caught on the vehicle for approximately 200 yards before the officer was able to free himself.

The driver then fled the scene in his vehicle, followed by Officer Kergaravat, and was pursued into Nassau County where he was eventually apprehended after driving down a dead end street, East 2nd Street in Mineola.

The man, Robert Stein, 54, whose last known address is 1944 Prospect Ave., East Meadow, told police he is currently undomiciled. Second Squad detectives charged Stein with Assault 2nd Degree of a Police Officer, Reckless Endangerment 1st Degree, Leaving the Scene of an Incident with Injury, two counts of Petit Larceny and three counts of Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer 3rd Degree.

Stein will be held overnight at the Second Precinct and arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on January 26.

Officer McAleavey was treated at Huntington Hospital for lacerations and contusions.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.