Police officer fighting for his life after LIE pursuit and crash
Police Officer Brendon Gallagher is in the ICU on a ventilator.
Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Robert Waring says a police officer suffered critical injuries in a pursuit and crash on the LIE that took place Sunday night.
Waring says Officer Brendon Gallagher, who is a member of the anti-street takeover task force, was in the middle of an unrelated traffic stop westbound at Exit 55 of the LIE. At that point, according to Waring, Gallagher noticed a driver speeding in a Mustang and pursued the car.
During the pursuit, Officer Gallagher's vehicle was struck and went off the road and overturned. The Mustang, which police say was driven by a person identified as Cody Fisher, also went off the road.
Waring says the police car was so badly damaged that it took more than 30 minutes to remove Gallagher from the vehicle. The officer was airlifted to Stony Brook University Medical Center where doctors say he was in severe shock and suffered extensive blood loss, among other severe injuries.
Doctors say Gallagher, who was stabbed 3 years ago in the line of duty in Medford, is in the ICU on a ventilator.
Fisher is currently on probation for a weapon's charge, according to investigators. He faces multiple charges. Investigators say he drove at approximately 95-100 mph and was under the influence of drugs.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Acting Suffolk Commissioner Waring say two off-duty Nassau officers were on their way to work when they saw the crash near Exit 55 in Brentwood. They stopped to help. One officer put Fisher in custody.
News 12 spoke with a woman named Linda, from Shirley, who says she drove past the crash Sunday night.
"It was horrendous looking...I did see all the police, all the ambulances and I saw all of the fire trucks," she said. "I just can't imagine what the police officer's family is going through."
The prosecutor at Cody Fisher's arraignment said Fisher admitted that he'd smoked marijuana before the incident.
She also said that he was not supposed to be driving because he didn't have a valid license.
The judge set bail at $1 million cash or $2 million bond.
