Cops: Wrong-way driver caught on video arrested in road rage

A wrong-way driver caught on videotape in Holbrook last month was arrested Sunday at his home after what investigators call a road rage incident, Suffolk police said Monday.

Thomas Brown Jr., 37, of Holbrook, was eastbound on Veterans Memorial Highway about 11:45 a.m. July 24 when construction forced two lanes of traffic into one, police said.

He and another driver argued over who was going to merge ahead first, and as Brown was waiting to turn left onto Coates Avenue, he claimed the other driver threw something at his vehicle, police said.

Brown turned left onto Coates, then made a right onto the westbound shoulder of Veterans Memorial Highway, police said.

He drove east on the shoulder, passing several westbound vehicles and nearly hitting them, according to the investigation by Officer Thomas Hannafey of the Fifth Precinct crime section.

Brown's wrong-way driving in his Toyota RAV 4 was videotaped by the other motorist in the argument, police said.

Brown, of 801 Greenbelt Parkway W., Holbrook, was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment. His arraignment date was not immediately available.