Woman Charged With Attempting to Escape Cops Twice While on Drugs Pleads Not Guilty

A Riverhead woman plead not guilty on Wednesday to charges after attempting to escape police in a stolen car and then trying to escape from the hospital in a second stolen car last month, according to the District Attorney.

Rasheeda Brown, 30, was indicted two times for charges including grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, escape, reckless endangerment, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and driving while impaired by the influence of drugs or alcohol, according to the DA.

On Sept. 17, Brown led police on a high speed chase in a stolen SUV from Sunrise Highway to a Route 58 pedestrian crosswalk in Riverhead, where Brown crashed into a state trooper’s vehicle, the DA said.

She was then taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center to be treated for injuries suffered in the crash where she escaped from custody and stole another car in the Route 58 TJ Maxx parking lot, the DA said.

Brown was later caught by state police on Route 58 in Riverhead after crashing the second stolen car into a trailer and attempting to steal the Jeep towing the trailer, the DA said.

Tests revealed that she had the narcotic Fentanyl as well as cocaine in her blood, the DA said.

Bail for Brown was set at $250,000 or $750,000 bond.

She was arraigned before Justice Fernando Camacho in Central Islip along with her legal spouse, 32-year-old Tanya Brown who pleaded not guilty to a dozen charges including third degree unlawful possession of personal identification information, fourth and fifth degree criminal possession of stolen property, second degree forgery, and third degree criminal possession of public benefit cards, the DA said.

The charges made against Tanya Brown are related to Rasheeda’s crimes committed on Sept. 17, the DA said.

Camacho set cash bail for Tanya Brown at $100,000 or $350,000 bond.