Police

Cops: Riverhead man climbed out of police cruiser window, got pepper sprayed

A Riverhead man driving with a revoked license while on probation was pepper sprayed by police in Southampton Village Sunday morning after he escaped arrest through a police cruiser window and led police on a foot pursuit before he was caught by the officers, Southampton Village police said.

He is now facing a felony assault charge and several misdemeanor charges for resisting arrest, unlicensed driving and other offenses, according to a police statement.

Police said they spotted Randy Salmons, 33, driving a 2007 Chevrolet erratically on Hill Street, passing cars illegally on the left about 8 a.m. Mr. Salmons was pulled over, but gave police a different name when they asked for identification, according to the statement. Officers discovered that Mr. Salmons’ license had been revoked four times since 2008 for “alcohol related incidents,” police said.

He was arrested and placed in the back of a police cruiser, but escaped through the window of the car and fled on foot. Police chased after Mr. Salmons and subdued him using pepper spray. An officer’s hand was injured while Mr. Salmons resisted arrested, police said.

Mr. Salmons was again arrested and charged with second-degree assault, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, false personation, resisting arrest, and third-degree escape.

He was arraigned and held in Suffolk County jail on $3,000 bail, police said. His Chevrolet was impounded by police.

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