Man Charged With Crashing Stolen Car Into Police Vehicle: Cops

BAY SHORE, NY — A man was arrested and charged on Thursday, after Suffolk County Police said he crashed a stolen car into a police vehicle in Bay Shore earlier this month.

On Aug. 16 at about 4 p.m., officers pulled over a U-Haul van on Howells Road. The vehicle had been reported stolen, police said.

When officers approached the vehicle, the driver, Emmitt Smith, 43, reversed the van, intentionally struck an unmarked police vehicle and fled, police said.

Smith is undomiciled, police said.

The van was later located by Warrant Enforcement Section officers in West Babylon on Aug. 25 and
impounded.

At about 7 a.m. on Thursday, detectives, assisted by the Property Auto Crimes Unit, the United States Marshals Service, and New York State Parole, located Smith on Booker Avenue in Wyandanch arrested him.

Smith was charged with third-degree criminal mischief and a New York State Parole Warrant, police said. He was also charged with seven counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and eight counts of petit larceny for stealing merchandise from multiple stores throughout Suffolk County between April and August.

As of Friday, Smith was additionally charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, three counts of unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, one count of third-degree grand larceny, and four counts of petit larceny, police said.

The investigation into the stolen vehicle is ongoing, police said.

Smith was being held overnight at the Third Precinct and is scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.