Police Chase Drunk Florida Man On Long Island: PD

LINDENHURST, NY — A Florida man allegedly took police officers on a car chase on Long Island on Wednesday, Suffolk County police told Patch.

Police said a First Precinct police officer pulled over a 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Vito Dileo, 53, of Spring Hill, Florida, on Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst around 7:42 p.m.

After initially speaking to Dileo, the officer returned to his vehicle and Dileo fled the scene, police said. From there, Dileo was involved in two hit-and-run crashes involving property damage and then abandoned his vehicle at Roland Road and Belmont Avenue in West Babylon, police said.

After police searched the area for Dileo, he was arrested in front of 345 Old Farmingdale Road in West Babylon around 8:03 p.m.

Dileo was charged with seventh-degree DWAI (drugs/alcohol, criminal possession of a controlled substance), third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, reckless driving, two counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash with property damage and over a dozen vehicle and traffic summonses, police said.

According to a report by News12, the property damage Dileo caused includes a broken fence, smashed children's toys and tire marks on several roads.