Police: Man charged with DWI, leaving scene of Nassau officer’s crash

A 55-year-old man is being charged in connection to the hit-and-run that left a Nassau County police officer with multiple injuries.

News 12 Staff

Jul 16, 2019, 10:53 AM

Updated 1,739 days ago

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A 55-year-old man is being charged in connection to the hit-and-run that left a Nassau County police officer with multiple injuries.
It happened around 8:30 p.m. on Berry Hill Road near McCouns Lane in Oyster Bay Monday.
Detectives say that the Nassau County police officer was traveling northbound on Berry Hill Road in a marked police vehicle when it was struck by a black Chevrolet Suburban making a left turn.
The collision caused the police vehicle to strike a tree. The officer was airlifted to the hospital with multiple non-life-threatening injuries but needed 40 stitches to his face.
Police say 55-year-old Christopher Drabin, of Oyster Bay, is accused of fleeing the scene.
Police say Drabin then drove home after the accident. They say the officer, Nicholas Samlal, was found disoriented in his cruiser by a woman walking her dog. The woman called 911.
According to court documents, Drabin's daughter drove him back to the scene an hour after the crash. Prosecutors say Drabin's blood alcohol content was at .07.
Court documents show the blood for the test was drawn three hours after the accident. Drabin's attorney says his client is not legally drunk at .07.
Police say Drabin was drunk at the time of the crash.
Nassau County Executive Laura Curran says she's ordered increased DWI enforcement this weekend after a slew of recent drunk driving crashes, including one on July 6 that injured another Nassau County police officer.
The police commissioner says officer George Day was able to sit up for the first time since his motorcycle was broadsided in North Bellmore.
Drabin has been charged with DWI, leaving the scene of an accident with physical injury and multiple vehicle and traffic law infractions. He was released on $10,000 bond.


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