What started as a routine traffic stop in Mount Kisco on Thursday night ended with three Westchester County officers injured, a trail of damaged patrol cars and a 21-year-old Bronx man in custody after a chase on the Saw Mill River Parkway, authorities said.
Police say the driver initially pulled over, then suddenly sped onto the southbound parkway and struck multiple Westchester County police vehicles before the incident was brought under control. The injured officers were treated at local hospitals and later released.
How the stop turned into a chase
According to law enforcement, an officer pulled over a Honda Accord on Main Street in Mount Kisco for an equipment violation just before 8 p.m. The driver allegedly took off from the stop and headed onto the southbound Saw Mill River Parkway in an apparent attempt to evade police. The account, which includes the driver’s identity and outlines the pursuit, was reported by Daily Voice.
Spike strips deployed; collisions with police vehicles
Additional units moved into position on the parkway, and officers deployed spike strips south of Marble Avenue in Thornwood, bringing the Honda to a stop. Police say the vehicle then sideswiped an unmarked car and collided with other Westchester County Police units. Three officers were injured in the series of crashes, treated at local hospitals and released, according to reporting by Country Herald.
Charges and what they mean
Officials charged 21-year-old Angel Bautista with second-degree assault and third-degree criminal mischief - both felony counts - along with misdemeanors that include reckless endangerment, reckless driving, fleeing a police officer and aggravated unlicensed operation, police said. The charging details were reported by Daily Voice. Under New York law, assault in the second degree is classified as a Class D felony, while criminal mischief in the third degree is a Class E felony, according to the New York State Senate and its statute on criminal mischief.
Processing and court
Police said Bautista was taken into custody following the crash and later complained of pain while in custody. He was evaluated by EMS at Westchester County Police headquarters in Hawthorne, then held overnight for arraignment in Mount Pleasant Town Court and remanded to the Westchester County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail. He was also issued multiple vehicle and traffic summonses, according to local reports by Country Herald.
The crash briefly snarled southbound traffic on the Saw Mill River Parkway and remains under active investigation by Westchester County police. Officials have not released further details about motive, and prosecutors are expected to review the case ahead of arraignment in Mount Pleasant Town Court.
