Police chase ends in fiery crash in Goldens Bridge

GOLDENS BRIDGE, N.Y. - First responders raced to the scene of a car in flames and a brush fire after a police chase on I-684 earlier this week.

Just before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, State Troopers were alerted to a stolen vehicle traveling northbound. The driver failed to comply when officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop and fled to the Exit 6A offramp in Goldens Bridge.   

The suspect then sideswiped another vehicle before losing control and crashing into a guardrail and down a nearby embankment, causing the car to burst into flames. The fire then spread to the surrounding area between the exit ramp and Route 22. 

The driver attempted to flee the scene on foot, but was quickly apprehended and taken into custody. 

Members of the Katonah, Golden’s Bridge, and Croton Falls Fire Departments were dispatched to the area and were able to extinguish both the vehicle and brush fire. 

“This was a serious fire,” said Golden’s Bridge Fire Chief Albert Melillo. “We not only had to attack these simultaneous fires, but we had to prevent the brush fire from spreading further as it was already burning over close to two acres and encroaching on the brick building located on the cell tower grounds.” 

The driver of the uninvolved vehicle was evaluated at the scene, but did not require additional medical attention.

The suspect was charged with Criminal Possession of Stolen Property 2nd Degree (Class C felony), Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance 7th Degree (Class A misdemeanor), Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle (Class A misdemeanor), Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident (Class A misdemeanor), and multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law infractions. 

Police have not released the identify of the suspect, and the investigation remains ongoing.