Cops: Holbrook bar confrontation spills onto LIE

An altercation between two men that began at a bar in Holbrook spilled onto the Long Island Expressway, where an intoxicated pickup truck driver rammed another vehicle early Saturday, Suffolk police said.

Matthew Rall, 26, allegedly got into a confrontation at the pub with Justin Pappas of Holbrook, who left the bar and drove off with a male passenger in a Ford Ranger, according to court records.

Rall, also of Holbrook, followed the victim onto the LIE eastbound in his Toyota Tacoma and deliberately smashed into the Ranger near Exit 63 about 2:35 a.m., the records show.

Rall was charged with driving while intoxicated and second-degree reckless endangerment. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Saturday in First District Court in Central Islip and was ordered held on $3,500 bail.

"Mr. Rall is confident when all the evidence is heard he will be exonerated," said his lawyer, Brian Griffin, of Garden City.

Prosecutors said Rall told police he had a few beers and followed the man from the bar. Rall declined to take a breath analysis test, they said.

In a statement to police, Pappas said Rall was driving behind him, revving his engine and flashing his lights and ran into the back of his truck three or four times, records show. Pappas called police, and Suffolk Highway patrol arrested Rall.

Both vehicles suffered minor damage, but no one was injured, police said.

People in court who identified themselves as Rall's family declined to comment.

With Kevin Deutsch