Just after 3:00 am this morning, Yonkers Police Officers approached a vehicle in the area of 219 Nepperhan Avenue after observing that the driver appeared to be sleeping, to check on his well-being. The vehicle also did not have both license plates properly affixed, and it was parked facing the wrong direction. After waking the driver, he refused to lower the windows, stared at the Officers, then accelerated his vehicle to flee. As he accelerated, he struck one of our Officers, pinning his right leg between the suspect’s vehicle and the Officer’s patrol vehicle.
The injured Officer’s partner relayed license plate information for the fleeing vehicle to Headquarters, and we relayed it to neighboring police agencies. Our friends at the New Rochelle Police Department spotted the vehicle after they received an alert on their License Plate Reader System. They apprehended the suspect, later identified as Edward ARIAS (24) of New Rochelle, and we came by to formally identify him and take him back to our jail.
Our Officer is doing well, recovering at home after spending the day in an area hospital being treated for a non-life-threatening leg injury. ARIAS was charged with Assault 2nd Degree and Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Serious Physical Injury.
This incident highlights a few things- the dangers of being a Police Officer, the restraint and great work of our Officers, the power of law enforcement technology to be able to apprehend suspects safely, coordination between Police Departments here in Westchester, and the importance of following the orders of Police Officers when you encounter one.
We’re glad our Officer will be ok, and we want to thank New Rochelle PD for their great work and assistance!
