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Authorities: Ex-Con Freed In Orangeburg DWI Nearly Ran Down Officer

ORANGETOWN, N.Y. -- Hours before Orangetown police said they found a violent ex-con blacked out behind the wheel at an intersection, he nearly ran down a police officer at JFK Airport, authorities said.

Felix Urgiles

Felix Urgiles

Photo Credit: MUGSHOT: Courtesy NEW MILFORD PD

The airport incident launched a manhunt that ended early Wednesday when police said they found 29-year-old Felix Humberto Urgiles hiding in a closet in the Bergen County town of New Milford.

Three Port Authority police officers were approaching his stopped car on the roadway of Terminal 8 arrivals at the Queens airport just after 5 p.m. Saturday when Urgiles gunned the engine, the authority's Joseph Pentangelo said.

One of the officers had to jump out of the way of the speeding car and sustained minor bruises falling against another vehicle, Pentangelo said.

Urgiles then backed up toward the officers before fleeing onto the Van Wyck Expressway, he said.

The Van Wyck was closed for about 10 minutes during the search, which eventually led to a familiar landing spot for Urgiles.

With help from their local colleagues, police found him at a home in the 700 block of Princeton Street in New Milford and took Urgiles into custody without incident around 8 a.m. Wednesday, Pentangelo said.

The injured officer was treated at a local hospital and released, he said.

Hours after the JFK incident, Orangetown police arrested Urgiles on DWI charges after they said they found him blacked out behind the wheel at the intersection of Orangeburg Road and Blaisdell Road around 1:20 a.m. Sunday.

He was already facing charges after police in New Milford said he smashed another motorist's window with a baseball bat, then cracked the windshield before fleeing a little over a year ago, authorities said.

Borough detectives arrested Urgiles last fall after the victim got his license plate number and a witness snapped a cellphone photo of him during the Oct. 12, 2016 incident at River Road and Linden Place. 

Urgiles -- who has a history of assault, weapons and other charges dating back five years -- was released after a hearing.

SEE: New Milford Police: Bat-Wielding Driver Smashes Car Window, Windshield

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