Woman in custody flees emergency room, steals second car, leads police on second chase ending in crash

A 30-year-old Riverhead woman who was arrested after a car chase this morning fled from the emergency room and led police on another chase that ended in an accident on Route 58, according to police. She has been taken into custody.

Rasheeda Brown was first arrested this afternoon after police from three departments pursued her on a lengthy car chase that began in Southampton, caused an accident on the Long Island Expressway and ended in the Riverhead Home Depot parking lot, where she slammed into a New York State trooper vehicle, according to state police.

The chase began earlier this afternoon when Southampton Police found Brown driving a stolen Toyota SUV on Old Quogue Road. She then led them on a chase from Old Quogue Road to Quogue Riverhad Road to Sunrise Highway, where she then took Route 111 to the Long Island Expressway, according to police.

Brown then attempted to take exit 71 on the Long Island Expressway and caused an accident on the exit ramp, police. She continued down Route 24 to Forge Road, to Kroemer Avenue, to Route 58, to the Home Depot parking lot, police said.

At this point, at least six New York State troopers and two Southampton Town police vehicles were in pursuit of Brown. A state trooper saw that she was headed toward a crosswalk in the parking lot with pedestrians and drove his vehicle between Brown’s car and the crosswalk.

“He placed his vehicle to protect the pedestrians and to force the vehicle away from them,” said New York State Police Captain William Hulse. “Instead, she chose to ram the police vehicle.”

Brown then got out of her car and attempted to flee on foot, police said. She was quickly apprehended by state troopers.

She was arrested on a charge of a stolen vehicle and brought to the Peconic Bay Medical Center emergency room under the supervision of a Southampton Town Police officer.

Shortly thereafter, she managed to escape from the hospital on foot – still in handcuffs – “forcibly stole” a Toyota Camry from the TJ Maxx parking lot and fled westbound on Route 58, Hulse said.

Police immediately began canvassing the area and located Brown in the stolen Camry on Mill Road. They chased her down Mill Road to Route 58, where she collided with the trailer being towed by a Jeep, flipping the trailer, which was carrying a Jet Ski.

Brown then attempted to steal the Jeep that she had just hit, police said. She was then taken into custody a second time.

She is currently being transported again to Peconic Bay Medical Center with complaints of chest pain, this time under the supervision of state police.

Hulse said he expected other charges would be forthcoming following an investigation, including a possible charge of driving under the influence of drugs.

Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. By law, a person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.