Crime & Safety
Cops: Riverhead Man Crashes Into Motel While Trying to Escape Police
The man lost control of the car and crashed into a concrete wall at the entrance to the motel, police say.
A Riverhead man was arrested after trying to escape police and crashing into the wall of a motel on Saturday, according to Riverhead Town Police.
While on patrol in the Polish Town area of Riverhead, members of the Riverhead Town Police Department’s Community Oriented Policing Enforcement (C.O.P.E) Unit saw a black Honda being operated erratically, police said.
Police followed the car when it attempted to flee the area at an ‘unreasonable speed’ committing several vehicle and traffic law violations, according to police.
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The car continued westbound on Route 25 and attempted to turn into the Greenview Motel on West Main Street when the driver, identified as Alfred Cowell, 35, lost control of the car and crashed into a concrete wall at the entrance to the motel, police said.
Cowell then fled on foot and was apprehended by police shortly after, police said.
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He was charged with reckless driving, unlawful fleeing, second degree aggravated unlicensed operation, resisting arrest and numerous vehicle and traffic law violations, according to police.
Cowell has been arrested multiple times in the past.
In 2011 he was arrested after stealing a car and attempting to run away from police in Riverside, according to a Patch report.
He was charged with third degree criminal possession of stolen property, seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, false personation, two counts of aggravated unlicensed operation, making an unsafe turn without a signal, not wearing a seatbelt, and unlicensed operation, according to the article.
In 2013, he was arrested on drug charges, according to Riverhead News-Review.
In 2014 he was arrested for leaving the scene of an accident, unlicensed operator, privilege to operate suspended, resisting arrest, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, according to Riverhead News-Review.
That same year he was also arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear in court.
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