By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MEDFORD, N.Y. (AP) -- A driver who refused police orders to pull over because he wanted to keep smoking crack in his truck was captured when he mistakenly drove into the police headquarters parking lot, authorities said.
Troy C. Stephani, 32, of Brookhaven, told the arresting officers he didn’t pull over Saturday night because ``he wanted to finish smoking the crack cocaine that he had in his truck,’' Suffolk County park police Lt. David Brewer said.
Stephani’s 1989 box truck first was stopped around 11 p.m. Saturday by park police Officer Patrick Noack, who said Stephani was driving erratically. When Stephani was asked to step out of his truck, he sped off, eluding Noack and patrol cars from the Fifth Precinct and the Highway Patrol in a 10-minute chase by zipping past red lights and changing lanes, police said.
The officers finally boxed in his truck when he turned down a roadway leading to the Yaphank police headquarters parking area.
He was charged with driving while impaired by drugs, driving while intoxicated, criminal possession of a controlled substance, obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and unlicensed operation of a vehicle. He also received summonses for his illegal driving maneuvers and for driving with a suspended registration, police said.
Stephani was arraigned Sunday and was released, Brewer said. A woman who answered the telephone at Stephani’s home said there would be no comment.
Noack, who police said was holding the door of Stephani’s truck when it sped off, was treated at a hospital for a shoulder injury, was released and processed the arrest.