Cops: Police Dog Finds Man Who Fled Stolen Car

A New York City man driving a stolen car led police on an early-morning chase that ended after a manhunt in West Nyack involving officers from three police departments and a police dog, according to the Rockland County Sheriff’s Department.

Police said Rafael N. Huertas, 20, of the Bronx was spotted driving erratically in the area of Route 303 and the New York State Thruway and ran a red light this morning. Police said a Sheriff’s officer tried to stop Huertas at 4:10 a.m., but after briefly stopping the car sped off and went onto the southbound Thruway ramp at the Exit 12 interchange.

While on the ramp, police said Huertas ran from the car and fled into a wooded area along the Thruway. Sheriff’s officers set up a search perimeter with State Police and Clarkstown police officers, with a Sheriff’s Department police dog, Shadow, brought in to assist the search.

Police said Shadow was able to find Huertas hiding in the woods and Huertas was arrested. Shadow became part of the Sheriff’s Department’s K-9 unit over the summer — funded by assets seized during criminal investigations in Rockland.

At about 5:30 a.m., police learned that the car Huertas was driving had been reported stolen from the Village of Haverstraw.

Huertas was arraigned in Clarkstown Town Court in New City and ordered held in the Rockland County Correctional Facility in New City on $25,000 bail.

Huertas is accused of fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, reckless driving, third-degree unlawfully fleeing a police officer and resisting arrest.