Alleged Car Thief Crashes Patrol Cruiser into Two Other Vehicles

By David Avitabile

CENTRAL BRIDGE - Three cars including one Schoharie County Sheriff's patrol cruiser was allegedly stolen early Tuesday morning by a 36-year-old man.

The Schoharie County Sheriff's office said that an early morning home burglary in Central Bridge led to a high-speed search and an hours-long crime spree Tuesday. The events did not end until the suspect, James Phillips, allegedly smashed the patrol cruiser head-on into another vehicle.

After the accident, officers immediately took the suspect into custody at the scene, ending the hours-long crime spree. On Tuesday morning at approximately 5:30am, members of the Schoharie County Sheriff's office responded to Central Bridge for a report of a stolen vehicle. During the investigation it was determined that more than one vehicle had been stolen from the immediate area and each was abandoned in close proximity, police said.

While conducting further investigation in the thefts, a Schoharie County Sheriff's office patrol cruiser was stolen from the area of the initial theft, according to police. The suspect was identified and the vehicle was located and several attempts were made to stop the vehicle before law enforcement officers lost sight of the vehicle each time.

Officers set up a perimeter with officers manning the surrounding area. At the intersection of Wetsel Hollow and Schoharie Hill roads, they observed the stolen patrol car crash into two other vehicles, leaving the stolen patrol vehicle and the another vehicle inoperable. The officers immediately took action and the suspect was taken into custody and medical aid was rendered to the other motorist and the suspect, according to police.

The suspect has been charged with multiple counts of grand larceny, driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a weapon, burglary, criminal trespass, criminal mischief, assault, reckless endangerment, and multiple vehicle and traffic law offenses, police said. Additional charges are anticipated.

The accident took place shortly after 8am after six State Police cars and other police vehicles flew down Route 145 and turned onto Schoharie Hill Road.

The Schoharie County Sheriff's office would like to thank other agencies for invaluable assistance, including in the New York State Police, the town, village, and county highway patrol departments, the Schoharie Fire Department, Scho-Wright ambulance, Schoharie County EMS, and the Cobleskill Village police.