Brentwood man who left accident scene takes cops on wild chase through LI, Queens highways, state police say

A Brentwood man, high on drugs, took police on wild chase through multiple Nassau and Queens highways on Sunday before he was tackled and apprehended following a foot chase with law enforcement, state police said.

The incident began shortly before noon when state police identified Christian Reyes, 29, as the driver of a black 1997 Toyota Camry that collided with a 1998 Honda and immediately left the scene.

Troopers, responding to the crash, canvassed the area and located the vehicle, police said.

Officers attempted to pull over the Camry on the westbound Southern State Parkway in the vicinity of Exit 30 in the Town of Oyster Bay, but Reyes sped off at dangerous speeds, police said.

Reyes fled from the Southern State onto the Belt Parkway in the direction John F. Kennedy International Airport, driving increasingly recklessly as troopers attempted to pull over the Camry, officials said.

As traffic on the Belt Parkway came to a standstill, Reyes, police said, sideswiped and attempted to back into both police and civilian vehicles. Reyes then exited his vehicle and fled on foot before he was captured by troopers.

No other drivers were hurt during the chase.

Reyes sustained minor injuries and was taken to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for medical evaluation.

He was charged with driving while ability impaired with drugs; three counts of second-degree criminal mischief; reckless endangerment of property; unlawful fleeing of a police officer; second-degree obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest.

Reyes pleaded not guilty on Monday during his arraignment in Nassau County District Court in Hempstead where District Court Judge Ryan Cronin remanded him without bail.

He was represented at his arraignment by the Nassau County Legal Aid Society, whose attorney-in-chief, N. Scott Banks, declined to comment Monday.

Reyes is due back in court on Wednesday.

By Robert Brodsky

robert.brodsky@newsday.com@BrodskyRobert

Robert Brodsky is a breaking news reporter who has worked at Newsday since 2011. He is a Queens College and American University alum.