attorney

Man Leads Police on Chase Through 8 Long Island Towns, Then Assaults 3 Officers: Officials

A suspect led police on a chase through eight Long Island towns early Saturday, then started punching officers in jail, hurting three of them, police said.

Joel Legette, 47, of Roosevelt, was charged with assault, reckless endangerment, fleeing police officers, resisting arrest and other charges, Nassau County police said. 

Police said they started following his Honda Odyssey in Uniondale just after midnight because it matched the description of a car they were looking for. After his arrest, they learned he was not connected to that earlier crime. 

When officers approached the vehicle, he allegedly fled. Police say they followed him with emergency lights flashing. He crashed into a fense, but kept driving through East Meadow, Levittown, Bethpage and Farmingdale into Suffolk County, police say. 

There, Suffolk County police followed him through Wyndanch, Deer Park and Brentwood, police said. He stopped after crashing into a wooded area, police said. 

Legette allegedly resisted arrest by kicking and flailing his arms. 

Police said they found what they believed to be marjiuana in his car. 

At the jail, Legette refused to return to his cell after using the bathroom and started punching officers, police said. It took six officers to restrain him. 

Three officers were hurt, police said, with injuries to their head, neck, wrist and leg. They were treated at a local hospital. 

It wasn't clear whether Legette had an attorney. 

Contact Us