Long Island Teens Arrested After Crashing Stolen Car While Fleeing Police: Cops

EAST MEADOW, NY — Two teens crashed a stolen car in East Meadow while trying to escape police after robbing a woman at knifepoint early Wednesday morning, according to Nassau Police.

The 26-year-old woman was sitting in her car outside her home on Windsor Gate Drive in North Hills at about 1:10 a.m. when 17-year-old Jose Franco, of Farmingdale, approached the driver's side window and started talking to her, police said.

He then took out a pocket knife, placed it against her chest and stole her pocketbook before fleeing in a red 2005 Dodge Neon driven by 16-year-old Medardo Gomez-Soriano, of Copiague, police said.

After a description of the car was passed along to Third Precinct officers and was spotting running a red light on Stewart Avenue and Merrick Avenue in Westbury before heading south on Park Avenue in Eisenhower Park, police said.

The two then crashed into another car exiting the park on Hempstead Turnpike and they were arrested at the scene of the accident, police said.

No injuries were reported in the accident.

Police found that the car was stolen from Suffolk County on Tuesday and was involving in leaving the scene of two accidents that same day in Farmingdale at 8:50 p.m. and Westbury a short time later.

The woman’s pocketbook was recovered from the car.

During the investigation, Franco gave officers two fake names before being properly identified, police said.

Franco is charged with first degree robbery, third degree criminal possession of stolen property, petty larceny, fourth degree possession of a dangerous weapon, two counts of false personation and leaving the scene of auto accident, police said.

Gomez-Soriano is charged with first degree robbery, third degree criminal possession of stolen property, petty larceny, third degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer, reckless driving, and multiple vehicle and traffic violations, police said.

Both will be arraigned on Thursday.

NCPD photos: Jose Franco and Medardo Gomez-Soriano