Police ID 2 Men Killed, Driver Charged In Crash Involving Stolen Dirt Bike

NORTH BELLPORT, NY – When 27-year-old Christopher Bouchard saw two men riding his brother's stolen 2006 Honda dirt bike Thursday morning, he pursued them in his minivan, police say. Soon both young men on the dirt bike were dead after a crash on Montauk Highway.

According to Suffolk Police, Seventh Precinct officers responded to a report of a dirt bike stolen from a detached garage at a home in Mastic Beach around 7:15 a.m.

A few hours later, Bouchard observed his brother’s stolen dirt bike with two males on it, police say. He pursued the men and at about 10:15 a.m., Bouchard’s 2002 Honda Odyssey minivan collided with the dirt bike on Montauk Highway near Doane Avenue in North Bellport, police say.

The minivan had been heading eastbound when it crossed the double yellow line in an apparent attempt to block the path of the westbound dirt bike, the New York Post reported.

The driver of the dirt bike, 19-year-old Keenen King, of Shirley, was pronounced dead at the scene. The passenger on the dirt bike, 20-year-old Anthony Holmes-Garriques, of North Bellport, was taken to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center and later transported to Stony Brook University Hospital where he died from his injuries, police say.

Bouchard, who was not injured, was arrested and charged with first degree reckless endangerment. The owner of the dirt bike, 31-year-old Brian Bouchard, who was a passenger in the minivan, was also unharmed in the crash.

Christopher Bouchard was held overnight at the Fifth Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Friday.

The investigation is continuing, police say.

SCPD photo: Christopher Bouchard