Pair Arrested After Fleeing Police, Hiding in Backyards: Police

Two men were arrested after fleeing from police Tuesday evening, police said.

According to police, 32-year-old Eddie Quinitchette exited the Hampton Inn, located at 2000 North Ocean Avenue in Holtsville, and was observed by police driving his 2016 Toyota Camry eastbound in the westbound lanes of Expressway Drive North at about 6:05 p.m. Quinitchette then made an illegal U-turn onto the westbound Long Island Expressway, police said.

Highway Patrol Officer Glen Ritchie attempted to initiate a traffic stop but Quinitchette turned off his lights and fled westbound on the LIE, police said. Ritchie pursued the vehicle to Exit 61, where Quinitchette exited onto Patchogue Holbrook Road, police said.

Quinitchette then turned into an adjacent residential development where his passenger, 20-year-old Shaquan Gordon, exited the vehicle in front of 5 Tarkington Road in Holbrook and fled into neighboring backyards, police said.

Quinitchette then parked the Toyota in the driveway of 19 Tarkington Road and also fled on foot, police said. Several residents on Tarkington Road approached responding Highway Patrol officers to report they had seen the suspects flee separately into their backyards, police said.

Aviation Section and Canine Section officers were requested by Sgt. George Hodge and a perimeter was established by Sixth Precinct and Highway Patrol officers, police said.

Gordon was arrested in the backyard of a residence on Tarkington Road around 6:25 p.m. Quinitchette, who was tracked through multiple back yards by Canine Section officers, was arrested after he was located hiding in the backseat of a Jeep located at a residence on Coleridge Street in Holbrook around 7:40 p.m., police said.

Quinitchette, of Centereach, and Gordon, of Amityville, were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana, unlawfully fleeing the police, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Quinitchette was also issued several traffic summonses.

SCPD photo: Eddie Quinitchette (police did not release a mugshot of Gordon)