Man Charged With Driving While Impaired By Drugs, Fleeing: Cops

SHIRLEY, NY — A Mastic man was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs after he fled from an officer in his vehicle Saturday, police said.

According to Suffolk County Police, a seventh precinct patrol officer saw Thomas Celeste,50, driving a 2002 Ford van erratically on Montauk Highway, west of William Floyd Parkway, at 12:15 a.m. When the officer initiated a traffic stop, Celeste fled, police said.

Police tracked the van with aviation and a patrol officer used stop sticks to disable the vehicle at Route 112 and Horseblock Road in Medford, police said.

Celeste continued southbound on William Floyd Parkway from the Long Island Expressway, where the van came to a stop, and officers arrested him at 1:40 a.m, police said.

Celeste was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, first degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reckless driving, and unlawfully fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, police said.

Celeste was scheduled to be arraigned Saturday at First District Court in Central Islip, police said.