WEST BABYLON, NY — A Bethpage man was driving recklessly and with three wheels on the Southern State Parkway Saturday night when he nearly hit a trooper, state police said.
According to New York State Police troopers, the incident took place at about 8:05 p.m. when troopers, along with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, were actively investigating an unrelated incident near a stationary road closure — where the New York State Department of Transportation had set up barricades for safety.
The driver of black Lincoln was observed “recklessly” speeding past the road closure on the Southern State Parkway westbound, east of Exit 37 in the Town of Babylon, despite having only three tires, police said.
Recognizing the imminent danger, a New York State trooper immediately initiated a pursuit to protect the public and law enforcement personnel in the area, authorities said.
“In a shocking moment, the vehicle narrowly avoided striking an investigator from the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit,” police said.
Despite multiple lawful attempts to stop the driver, the driver refused to comply, police said.
When the vehicle finally came to a stop, officers issued repeated commands for the driver to exit, authorities said.
After some delay, the driver, later identified as 3Kenneth A. Salgado, 31, of Bethpage, emerged from the vehicle and was taken into custody, police said.
Troopers quickly determined that Salgado was likely under the influence of alcohol; however, he refused to submit to a breath test, authorities said.
Salgado was arrested and charged with first-degree driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor; first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony; resisting arrest, a misdemeanor; and unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, along with numerous New York State vehicle and traffic law violations, police said.
“Thanks to the swift and decisive actions of the New York State Police, a potential disaster was averted,” authorities said. “Their vigilance not only protected the safety of law enforcement personnel but also safeguarded innocent motorists and pedestrians who could have been harmed by Salgado’s reckless and impaired driving.”
Salgado was transported to the Suffolk County Police Department’s 3rd Precinct, where he was held for arraignment on March 9.
CREDIT: Jerry Barmash, Patch Staff
