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Shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, a trooper attempted to stop Westbury resident Jeff Etienne, for driving while using his cellphone on the Southern State Parkway near exit 23 in Hempstead.
Police said that during the traffic stop, Etienne refused to follow the trooper’s directions, was unwilling to exit the vehicle, and a brief struggle ensued.
Etienne then fled the scene and dragging the trooper a short distance with his vehicle.
After getting back into his cruiser, the injured trooper pursued the vehicle onto the Wantagh State Parkway where Etienne finally came to a stop south of Old Country Road.
During the chase, the trooper suffered a minor knee injury and was treated and later released from an area hospital.
Etienne was arrested without incident and charged with:
- Assault;
- Reckless endangerment;
- Fleeing an officer;
- Obstruction of governmental administration;
- Resisting arrest;
- Unlawful possession of marijuana.
Etienne, 26, was being held by the police pending his arraignment on Friday, Dec. 4. No return court date has been announced.
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