Community Comes Together To Help Police Officer Hurt In Crash

RIVERHEAD, NY — The community is coming together to help a Riverhead police officer who was airlifted with serious injuries after a crash following a pursuit that led from Southold to Riverhead Tuesday.

A GoFundMe page, "Sproston Strong," was created by Lucia Barrella for Riverhead Police Officer Robert Sproston, who was hurt in the crash.

"Robbie to everyone is a wonderful, caring, loving friend," she said. "He is a Marine, a Riverhead police officer, a former Rocky Point firefighter and current Riverhead firefighter. That alone shows how much Robbie cares about serving and protecting our communities," she said.

After Tuesday's crash, Sproston, she said, "is currently in Stony Brook University Hospital in ICU getting the best possible care and treatment he can in order to overcome all of his injuries."

The page was created, she said, to support Sproston emotionally and financially — so that when he is released from the hospital, "he can find comfort in knowing he is financially stable for months to come while recovering. This will take the financial burden away from him, as he has a long journey ahead due to the extent of his injuries. It’s our time to support and care for him as he has done for us over the years. Please pray for Robbie and his family during this time."

To donate, click here.

According to Riverhead Police, the crash took place Tuesday at on Osborn Ave. near Youngs Ave. at 4 p.m. when the pursuit entered into the Riverhead Police jurisdiction from Sound Avenue.

Several agencies were involved in the pursuit, attempting to stop the vehicle; a Riverhead officer in a marked car with its emergency lights activated was heading north on Youngs Ave. when the officer attempted to pass a second vehicle that was traveling north, police said. As that vehicle attempted to make a left onto Youngs Ave., the two vehicles collided, police said.

As a result of the collision, the police car left the roadway and struck a fence on the west side of Osborn Ave. just north of Young Ave., police said.

Sproston involved sustained serious physical injuries; he was treated on the scene by Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance Corps and was first transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center, then flown by medevac to Stony Brook University Hospital due to the extent of his injuries, police said.

He was in stable but serious condition Tuesday night, police said.

The roadway was closed to traffic for several hours as the investigation continued; the Riverhead Police Department's detective division was assisted by the Suffolk County Police Department's crime scene unit, police said.

The driver of the second vehicle was not injured, police said.

The vehicle that was being pursued turned southbound on Doctors Path and continued south onto Northville Turnpike and then onto Roanoke Ave, police said. The driver then fled from the vehicle on foot near the 1st St. parking lot and remains at large, police said.

"A terrible accident," Riverhead Town Councilwoman Jodi Giglio said. "My prayers are with him and his family and all of our men and women in blue. Lord watch over them."