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On Friday, Sept. 27, at about 5:25 a.m., state police responded to a property damage crash on the roadway near Exit 39 in the town of Babylon.
Troopers interviewed the driver, John Gibson, age 37, of Copiague, and suspected he may be under the influence of alcohol and or drugs, according to state police.
Gibson failed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and was placed under arrest, handcuffed, and seat-belted into the rear of a patrol vehicle, according to police.
While troopers were continuing their investigation, Gibson managed to slip his handcuffs to the front, freed himself from the seat belt, climbed into the front seat of the patrol vehicle and drove off from the scene.
With the assistance of the Suffolk County Police Department, troopers located the stolen patrol vehicle about three miles from the scene on Matthews Avenue in West Babylon.
A short time later, Gibson was found in a nearby cemetery and taken back into custody.
Gibson was charged with:
- Grand larceny,
- Criminal possession of stolen property,
- Unauthorized use of a vehicle,
- Escape,
- Resisting arrest,
- Obstruction of governmental administration,
- Unlawful fleeing a police officer,
- Driving while intoxicated.
Gibson was transported to the Brentwood barracks for arrest processing.
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