Suffolk County officer injured by alleged drunk driver

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (WABC) -- A Central Islip man is under arrest after police say his car rear-ended a police vehicle and injured a Suffolk County police officer.

29-year old Salvatore Distefano is charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Assault 3rd Degree and violating New York State's "Move Over Law".

The accident happened as Suffolk County police were conducting a follow-up search at the scene of a crash earlier in the day in Patchogue.

Officer Brian Smales of the Highway Patrol Bureau had placed his car, with emergency lights activated, on the right shoulder of Sunrise Highway, outside the lane of traffic.

Police say DiStefano, driving a 2012 Chrysler 200, hit the back of the police car.

Officer Smales was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was treated for head, neck, back and leg injuries and released.

Distefano was arrested at the scene and then transported to Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center in East Patchogue where he was treated for facial lacerations and released.

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