Illegal Street Races Cause Car Crashes, Fires, Slashed Tires On LI: PD

ISLIP, NY — Firefighters and police offers responded to car crashes and vehicles engulfed in flames after illegal street racing wreaked havoc on Islip streets over the weekend, officials told Patch.

Shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Islip Fire Department crews responded to reports of “intentionally set outside fires” at an illegal street race event on Commack Road at the Sunrise Highway overpass, the fire department said.

Fire department officials said that the illegally closed roadways initially halted their response. While police worked to disperse the numerous vehicles on the road “many of them fled recklessly and caused motor vehicle collisions.”

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According to police, officers responded to multiple 911 calls regarding vehicles blocking traffic. While one Third Precinct officer was responded to the scene, he crashed into a pole while trying to avoid a person in the road on westbound Sunrise Service Road near Commack Road in Islip.

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After exiting his vehicle, he tried to stop a Mustang that was recklessly driving in circles at the intersection of Commack Road and westbound Sunrise Service Road, police said.

The Mustang attempted to flee, collided with another vehicle at Commack Road and Wallace Street, police said. After the Mustang’s driver fled the scene on foot, the car burst into flames, police said.

Police said that while the officer was out of his vehicle, at least three of his tires were slashed.

According to the fire department, the accident also caused a substantial oil leak from the vehicle leading to a call out for the Town of Islip HAZAT team and NYS DEC.

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Police said three other car crashes happened as a result of the illegal racing. Another Third Precinct officer responding to the scene crashed into a pole on eastbound Sunrise Service Road.

While fleeing the scene a driver hit a pole on West Pine Street and Whitman Avenue and fled on foot, police said. Another driver crashed into a tree on westbound Sunrise Service Road and Pond Road in Bohemia and was issued multiple traffic summonses, police said.

Both officers were treated and released from a local hospital, police said.

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