A Suffolk patrol sergeant was struck and injured as two people in an allegedly stolen pickup truck attempted to flee, according to police.
Suffolk police say a Ford F-350 pickup truck with a snowplow attached to it was reported stolen Friday in Ridge. Later that day, shortly before noon, officers located the truck in the parking lot of the New York Sports Club on Jericho Turnpike in Commack.
When an officer and a patrol sergeant approached the truck, police say the driver tried to flee, striking the sergeant in the hand with the truck's snowplow as he backed out of a parking spot. The vehicle was then driven toward the sergeant, who fired two shots in fear for his life, according to Suffolk police. The shots struck the vehicle, but it continued forward, jumped a curb and then left the parking lot.
The truck became disabled a few blocks away, and the driver and a passenger inside the truck fled on foot, according to police. The suspects were taken into custody after a foot pursuit.
The driver has been identified as 35-year-old James Connor, of Ridge. He is charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
Police identified the passenger as 32-year-old Alesha Labosco, of Ridge. She's charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
The patrol sergeant was taken to St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center in Smithtown for treatment of his injury and has since been released.