Man Crashes Stolen Jeep Into 2 Police Cars In Suffolk: SCPD

[SummerMadness]

How they said it happened...
Man Crashes Stolen Jeep Into 2 Police Cars In Suffolk: SCPD

A man was arrested Wednesday morning in Mount Sinai after police said he crashed a stolen vehicle into two Suffolk police cars while fleeing from officers. Two officers were injured during the incident, police said.

Christopher Cruz, 30, who is a homeless person, stole a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee from the driveway of a home on Oakland Avenue in Port Jefferson Station at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Officers in an unmarked police vehicle saw the Jeep pull into the parking lot of Mobil, at 1889 Route 112, Coram, around 12:05 a.m., police said. Officers in marked police cars arrived moments later, police said. Cruz rammed the Jeep into one of the police vehicles, injuring an officer, and then drove off, police said.

How it happened...
Video sheds new light on case involving Suffolk officers as some charges against suspect are dropped

New video obtained exclusively by News 12 Wednesday may show a different story in a case involving Suffolk police officers, according to a source.

As News 12 has reported, Christopher Cruz, 30, is accused of stealing a Jeep from a Port Jeff Station home in February. At the time of his arrest, video showed Cruz in handcuffs allegedly being struck by officers. Police had said Cruz rammed police cruisers with a stolen car.

A source tells News 12 that the video shows the police officers ramming Cruz at a Coram gas station.

The video is reportedly from the parking lot of a Mobil station on Route 112.

As News 12 has reported, two officers were suspended without pay and four others were put on modified duty after officials reviewed bodycam video of the arrest.

He stole a car, arrest him and charge him for that. There is no need to make up a story about him ramming your car and then driving off. The highest punishment as suspension without pay is unconscionable. Lying on police reports should get an officer fired; this is bad apples giving all cops a bad name.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

We tend to focus on the really big bad things officers do like killing people unjustly and getting off for it. But these "little" incidents like lying on reports or planting drugs or guns on suspects so they can arrest them need to be spot lighted and corrected too. I think these small illegalities committed by police on a daily basis with little or no consequences lead to the commission of bigger and bigger offenses and the attitude that they are above the law and can get away with it.

 

[SummerMadness]

We tend to focus on the really big bad things officers do like killing people unjustly and getting off for it. But these "little" incidents like lying on reports or planting drugs or guns on suspects so they can arrest them need to be spot lighted and corrected too. I think these small illegalities committed by police on a daily basis with little or no consequences lead to the commission of bigger and bigger offenses and the attitude that they are above the law and can get away with it.

It also sows distrust in the community. People are not apt to call the police for help if they don't trust them. There are stories about people calling the police, only to be attacked and arrested, and the police report writes them up as a belligerent. You are very correct, Police killings are a concern, but the main issue are these small illegalities as you call them. Acceptance or non-punishment of these little illegalities set the tone.

 

[Thigbee]

Frankly, I don't see the second video exonerating the car thief in any way; nor do I see it as "evidence" the police rammed him instead.

What I see in that video is a police vehicle rapidly approaching the car thief's vehicle, lights flashing (can't hear if they're running hot too), and the car thief taking off - right into the path of the police car. If there was contact, it was very minor, but it's also clear the car thief gave the police very little time to react.

Characterizing the police actions as "ramming the vehicle" is grossly inaccurate.

 

[Thigbee]

Police don't wantonly show up to a potential crime scene and just start attacking and arresting people. This is absurd nonsense. If the police take actions against individuals (individuals who later attempt to claim those actions were "belligerent" or "abusive"), it's almost 100% sure those actions were warranted - likely because the perpetrators were attempting to elude, evade, or escape the police - and in some cases, even attacking them at the same time.

 

[Thigbee]

If people only knew what police had to deal with to do their job, there'd be a whole lot fewer of these police-bashing stories.

 

[SummerMadness]

Police don't wantonly show up to a potential crime scene and just start attacking and arresting people. This is absurd nonsense. If the police take actions against individuals (individuals who later attempt to claim those actions were "belligerent" or "abusive"), it's almost 100% sure those actions were warranted - likely because the perpetrators were attempting to elude, evade, or escape the police - and in some cases, even attacking them at the same time.

The video literally shows the police car ramming him as he drove away. What are you talking about?

 

[Thigbee]

The video literally shows the police car ramming him as he drove away. What are you talking about?

NO IT DOES NOT!

What it shows is the car thief taking off ahead of police just as they are arriving on scene. The police have to brake to prevent ramming the stolen car. The video CLEARLY shows the police car braking at the last minute. IF - and this is debatable from the video - IF the police cruiser hit the stolen car, it was CLEARLY unintentional, CLEARLY in attempt to avoid the stolen vehicle.

One has to make a HUMONGOUS leap to think the police intentionally rammed the vehicle.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

It did look like the cop was trying to pull in front of the stolen car and block him in but he started to pull away before he could get there. I think the cop car probably bumped the side of the stolen vehicle but I probably wouldn't characterize it as ramming into it

However, the suspect absolutely did not ram any police cars or eve drive toward any. He was trying to get away.

The police lied.

 

[Thigbee]

...just flat out disgusting what some people are trying to do to our law enforcement people.

 

[disciple Clint]

Why’d the DA drop the most serious charges if it happened like you say the police say it happened?

Ask the DA could be any number of reasons.

 

[The IbanezerScrooge]

Ask the DA could be any number of reasons.

The most obvious being that what the police said happened didn't actually happen.

 

[wing2000]

If people only knew what police had to deal with to do their job, there'd be a whole lot fewer of these police-bashing stories.

Is calling on police to issue accurate reports bashing?

 

[HARK!]

MOD HAT ON

This thread was cleaned for multiple rule violations. Please be respectful of one another.

MOD HAT OFF​

 

[Arcangl86]

...just flat out disgusting what some people are trying to do to our law enforcement people.

Hold them accountable to telling the truth?