Crime & Safety

Police: Driver Crashes in High-Speed Chase, Saved by Cop

Officer Scott Jensen of the seventh precinct pulled a Mastic man from his car after he crashed into the woods across from the county center in Riverside.

A Mastic man was saved from a burning vehicle after he fled police and crashed it into the woods across from the Suffolk County Center on County Road 51 in Riverside on Wednesday night, Suffolk County Police said.

According to police, 29-year old Jason Martin was observed driving in an erratic manner on CR 51 northbound in Eastport around 11:15 p.m. Police said they attempted to pull the car over, at which point Martin accelerated his 1999 Chrysler and led police on a seven-mile chase.

South of the County Center in Riverside, Martin lost control of his vehicle and crossed over the median dividing line "several times" according to police, before driving into the woods on the eastern side of C.R. 51, causing the car to catch fire.

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Seventh precinct Officer Scott Jensen, who was in pursuit, pulled Martin from the passenger's side of the car after the drivers' side was pinned against a tree.

Martin was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center and treated for non-life threatening injuries and Jensen was uninjured. As of Thursday morning, according to police, Martin was still at PBMC.

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Martin was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle and unlawful fleeing from a police officer.


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