Bank robbery suspect arrested following chaotic wrong-way chase on Long Island Expressway

Detectives say 41-year-old Nina Cahill robbed the Chase Bank on Middle County Road Friday while wearing a surgical mask.

Bob Doda, Lauren Pena and Liz Burke

Sep 8, 2024, 1:52 PM

Updated 31 days ago

Share:

Suffolk police say a Holtsville woman suspected of robbing a Selden bank on Friday was arrested Saturday after a wrong-way pursuit on the Long Island Expressway ended in a crash.
Detectives say 41-year-old Nina Cahill robbed the Chase Bank on Middle Country Road Friday while wearing a surgical mask. Suffolk police say she “presented the teller with a note demanding money. The teller complied and the suspect fled on foot with cash."
On Saturday, police say they located a 2007 Toyota Corolla that was reported as stolen. They say Cahill was behind the wheel and saw the officers approaching.
They say she “backed out of the parking space and into a police vehicle” before driving onto the LIE westbound at Exit 61.
The chaotic chase was described in a release from Suffolk police:
“The Toyota exited the LIE at Exit 60, to Express Drive North, reversed direction and drove the wrong way back to Exit 61, where she re-entered the westbound LIE. She drove to Exit 58 and again drove the wrong way on Express Drive North. At some point, she re-entered the LIE from an exit ramp and began traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes."
Police say she eventually crashed into a highway patrol car and attempted to flee on foot before being arrested.
Authorities say she was charged with third-degree robbery and multiple felonies stemming from the car chase incident.
Cahill pleaded not guilty.
Cahill’s lawyer told News 12 bail was set at $50,000 cash. News 12 reached out to the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office to see if she had posted bail but had not heard back as of Sunday night.
Neighbors in Holtsville told News 12 that Cahill caused problems on the block and acted erratically.
"Like one o'clock in the morning, she would be out with her daughter, just running around the car, making noise,” said Jeff Coolidge.