Cops: Riverhead man struck police car, fled on foot

Southampton Town Police arrested a drunken driver on Sunday after the Riverhead man allegedly hit a police car on Flanders Road and led cops on a foot chase, according to a police report.

Valentin Carrizal, 27, faces a felony assault charge from the early-morning incident in Flanders that left a police officer injured, police said. The officer was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center.

After Mr. Carrizal struck the police car at about 2:20 a.m., he continued driving and eventually fled on foot after police caught up to him, according to police. Mr. Carrizal faces numerous misdemeanor charges, including resisting arrest, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident. He was also charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

The officer was injured during the foot chase, police said.

In 2013, Mr. Carrizal was pled guilty to DWAI, reduced from DWI, and had his license was suspended for 90 days, according to a Riverhead News-Review article.