UPDATE: FUGITIVE DRIVER APPREHENDED AFTER FLEEING FENTANYL, HEROIN, AND CRACK ARREST

For Immediate Release:

Date: April 1, 2022

UPDATE: FUGITIVE DRIVER APPREHENDED AFTER FLEEING FENTANYL, HEROIN, AND CRACK ARREST ***** DRIVER FLED SCENE AFTER CRASHING VEHICLE *****

Daniel Mason

(YAPHANK, NY) The driver of the vehicle that crashed after speeding away from Sheriff’s Deputies on Friday was arrested at his residence in Yaphank on Wednesday, March 30, 2022.

An extensive investigation was conducted by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Bureau that included evidence collected at the scene and security camera video. Daniel Mason, 20, of Yaphank, NY, was arrested as he left his home address by officers conducting surveillance of his residence.

Mason was charged with 5 counts of possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree, 1 count of possession of a controlled substance in the 5th degree, 1 count of Unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the 3rd degree, and 1 count of reckless driving, a misdemeanor.

The vehicle from the original incident has been impounded and an investigation is ongoing including processing of the vehicle.

Original release:

On Friday, March 25, 2022, at approximately 3:50 p.m., Suffolk County Sheriff’s Deputies were traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway, east of exit 67 in a marked unit when they observed a 2020 Mazda bearing Georgia license plates traveling at a high rate of speed with two male occupants inside.

Deputies stopped the vehicle, and while approaching the vehicle, the vehicle sped away. It exited the Long Island Expressway at exit 65 and crashed into a telephone pole at the corner of Falcon Ave. in Medford.

The front seat passenger, Edward Smith, 20, of Yaphank, NY, fled on foot and was apprehended a short distance away. The driver fled the scene and is still at large.

A quantity of drugs including over 3 grams of Fentanyl, over 3 grams of Heroin, over 6 grams of Crack Cocaine, 14 suboxone pills, a small quantity of marijuana, a stun gun, and $3,240.00 in cash were discovered in the vehicle and on the scene.

Passenger Edward Smith was charged with: three counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 3rd and one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 5th.

The vehicle has been impounded and an investigation is ongoing.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol D. Toulon, Jr. commends his deputies for their vigilance. “Suffolk County Deputy Sheriffs are patrolling our county’s roads day and night to keep the public safe. A seemingly straightforward traffic stop for speeding can turn into a dangerous situation for the deputies and the public when the driver attempts to flee. In this case, thankfully no one was seriously injured and Deputies took dangerous drugs off the streets. I thank my deputies for their hard work.”

For more information, contact Sgt. Paul Spinella at paul.spinella@suffolkcountyny.gov.

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