A Copiague man is wanted for stealing a police car after being arrested during a crash on the Southern State Parkway.
On September 27, at about 5:25 a.m., State Police responded to a crash on the Southern State Parkway near Exit 39 in the town of Babylon. Troopers interviewed the driver, John Gibson, and suspected he may be under the influence of alcohol and or drugs. Gibson failed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and was placed under arrest, handcuffed, and seat-belted into the rear of a State Police patrol vehicle.
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, 37, was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property (both Class E felonies), first-degree unauthorized use of a vehicle (a Class D felony), third-degree escape, resisting arrest, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer (all Class A misdemeanors) and driving while intoxicated (an unclassified misdemeanor).
Gibson was transported to a state police facility in Brentwood for processing and will be transported for arraignment.