Levittown Man Arrested after Suffolk County Chase

A Levittown man was arrested in Plainview Tuesday after allegedly leading Suffolk police on a chase along the Long Island Expressway.

According to Suffolk County Sheriff Chief Michael Sharkey, 23-year-old William Girardin was initially stopped by a Suffolk County deputy sheriff at exit 55 of the eastbound side of the Long Island Expressway.

As a deputy sheriff exited his vehicle, Girardin pulled back onto the expressway, Sharkey said. Sharkey said the defendant then exited the LIE at exit 56 and turned around to the westbound side of the expressway.

After leading police on a chase, Girardin exited again at Sunnyside Boulevard (exit 46). While on the service road, Girardin, according to Sharkey, attempted to navigate his vehicle between two others at a stoplight.

Those two vehicles were too close together, according to Sharkey, and he sideswiped both of them. He was taken into custody soon after.

According to police, Girardin possessed marijuana and oxycodone at the time of his arrest. He is facing charges of driving under the influence of drugs, reckless driving, unlawfully fleeing a police officer, unlawful possession of marijuana and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

According to Sharkey, there was one other passenger in Girardin's vehicle. Of the two cars Girardin allegedly sideswiped, one contained an adult female with her two daughters and the other contained an adult female.

No one was injured in the incident.