On Thursday, around 12:30pm Port Chester Police Dept CPD a call reporting a larceny in progress from Stop & Shop. While officer’s were responding, a description of the vehicle the suspect was operating was seen leaving the scene. Units stopped the vehicle and opened the door to have the suspect step out of the vehicle, but the suspect veered to avoid officers and accelerated at a high speed onto North Main Street.
The vehicle became wedged in between vehicles stopped in traffic at North Main Street at Westchester Ave.
The suspect again accelerated forward and backward, nearly striking an officer and intentionally driving into vehicles causing damage before fleeing.
Officers did not engage the driver in a pursuit due to the risk that was created. However, an officer did locate the vehicle on the Boston Post Road, and attempted to stop it but the driver refused to stop.
The vehicle then attempted to make a u-turn and crashed into a snowbank where the driver was apprehended.
The driver, Tara Brown Birkinshaw, 50 of the Bronx, NY was transported to a local hospital for treatment for non-life threatening injuries.
Port Chester Police said two motorists were injured due to the actions of the suspect, and were also transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Further, numerous vehicles as well as a Port Chester Police Dept vehicle were damaged by the defendant driving into them intentionally.
The driver was charged with multiple counts of Criminal Mischief stemming from the intentional damage, Aggravated Vehicle Assault for injuring motorists while operating under the influence of narcotics, Reckless Endangerment, Petit Larceny and a slew of vehicle and traffic charges.
“Unfortunately, this driver made a bad decision to make a larceny charge into something extremely worse and risked injury to the public and officers,” Police said, going on to thank Rye Police for assistance during the incident.