Cops: Woman drives away, injures officer

An alleged drunken driver tried to speed away from Nassau police officers as one of them reached through the car window to stop the vehicle, briefly pulling his arm and injuring the officer, police said Sunday.

The officer had stopped a 2003 Honda on Jericho Turnpike in Bellerose Village on Saturday and arrested the driver on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

The car was to be impounded, but the driver's wife, who police said also was intoxicated, climbed behind the wheel and drove off, injuring the officer's wrist and lower back.

Officers followed the woman, Miguelina Minaya, 41, watching her drive recklessly to her residence, 220-11 94th Rd. in Queens Village, where they were able to arrest her, police said.

As she left the vehicle, detectives said, she began kicking and flailing to prevent arrest. The officer was again injured in the struggle, according to police.

Minaya and the injured officer, who was not identified, were treated at a nearby hospital and released.

Minaya and her husband, Anthony Valdez, were arraigned in First District Court in Hempstead Sunday morning.

She was charged with second-degree assault, second-degree harassment, unlawful fleeing of a police officer, DWI, reckless driving, resisting arrest, several traffic violations and second-degree obstruction of governmental administration.

He was charged with DWI.