Fleeing Man Charged After Car Rolls Backward, Injures Officer: PD

FLANDERS, NY — A Riverhead man was arrested Monday night after he fled his car, which was not in the "park" position, leaving the vehicle to roll backward, injure an officer, and hit both a parked car and a police vehicle, authorities said.

According to Riverhead police, the incident took place at about 8:33 p.m. when Nicholas Fisher, 37, was seen driving south on Flanders Road in Flanders with no tail light. Police initiated a traffic stop, but he continued onto Evergreen Road and then turned onto Priscilla Avenue, violating multiple vehicle and traffic laws, police said.

Eventually, the vehicle stopped, and Fisher exited and fled the scene, police said. While police attempted to make an arrest, the vehicle that Fisher had been driving rolled backward, striking the parked vehicle, the police officer, and the police vehicle, police said.

All vehicles sustained damage and the officer was injured, police said.

Fisher surrendered after a brief foot pursuit; he was placed under arrest and charged with second-degree assault, a felony; second-degree obstructing governmental administration, a misdemeanor; and multiple New York State vehicle and traffic law violations, police said.

He was transported to Southampton Town police headquarters for arrest processing and held to appear in Southampton Town Justice Court at morning arraignment, police said.