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DeliciousA 39-year-old man from Hampton Bays was arrested by Southampton Town Police after leading officers on a high-speed chase through the hamlet at about 10 on Saturday night.
Police chased Richard Paul Parsels from Old Bridge Road South, which is near the Ponquogue Bridge, through Hampton Bays residential areas and west down Montauk Highway for nearly 20 minutes before officers threw out a spike strip and brought Mr. Parsels to a stop in brush on Squiretown Road, according to a press release.
There were no passengers in the blue 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 that Mr. Parsels was driving. Police said he drove as fast as 60 miles per hour during the pursuit.
There were no injuries in the chase. Mr. Parsels’ truck had minor damage.
Police received a call about a blue pick-up truck that was driving erratically, according to the release. Officers first tried to pull Mr. Parsels over, but he refused, according to police. Two of the tires on Mr. Parsels’s truck blew out after he drove over the spike strip.
Mr. Parsels was charged with third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, both misdemeanors, and failure to comply with police, a traffic infraction. He was also charged with 36 other traffic violations. Mr. Parsels has a prior DWI conviction and his license had been either revoked or suspended three times in the past, according to police, who added that Mr. Parsels may face additional charges.
Mr. Parsels was taken to an area hospital for a psychological evaluation. Sergeant Lewis Scott would not release the name of the hospital he was taken to. His truck was impounded.
New York State Troopers helped Southampton Town Police in the chase.
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