Cops to Charge Driver for Taking Shooting Victim To Hospital in 'High-Speed Chase'

The driver of the car has been given a summons for several misdemeanors, including reckless driving and fleeing a police officer, according to East Hampton Village police on Friday afternoon.

Chief Jerry Larsen said the woman, whose name he declined to release due to the ongoing investigation into the shooting in the town police's jurisdiction, led police on a high-speed chase for over 11 miles. "They could have killed somebody," he said.

More serious charges are possible, he said.

Frederic Stephens Jr., a 20-year-old from East Hampton, suffered a single gunshot wound to the arm/torso area, according to East Hampton Town police, which are investigating the incident that they said took place at 154 Springs-Fireplace Road in East Hampton on Thursday night around 8:30 p.m.

The incident went unreported until Village Police Officer Mario Julio Galeano was on patrol on Railroad Avenue shortly after it took place and saw a Hyndai Elantra "come flying across" Cooper Lane, Larsen said. Galeano caught up with the car as it turned into the American gas station on Montauk Highway in the village, to avoid the traffic light. However, the car got caught up in traffic at the pumps.

Stephens got out of the rear-passenger seat of the car, that was being driven by a woman, and told the officer he had been shot. Galeano radioed for the East Hampton Village Ambulance Association to respond expeditiously. Another man and woman were also inside the vehicle, Larsen said.

But, Stephens, who was jumping around, got back in the car and it took off headed west on Montauk Highway, Larsen said. "He starts pursuing them," he said of the officer. "But he doesn't know what he's got. He doesn't know if the shooter is in the vehicle or even if the kid was really shot."

"This was definitely a pursuit and definitely a dangerous pursuit," the chief said. The car was driving of speeds of upwards 80 mph, and driving down the middle of the highway, around cars, in Bridgehampton at 45 mph, he said.

Southampton Hospital was informed that the car might be headed there, Larsen said.

The entire pursuit is caught on the police in-car camera system, Larsen said. He added that it would have been too dangerous for police to use maneuvers with their vehicles to stop the Elantra.

In all there were about five police — East Hampton village and town police and Southampton Town police — were in pursuit of the car carrying Stephens on Montauk Highway. The car pulled into the emergency entrance at Southampton Hospital at about 9 p.m.

Sag Harbor-based attorney Steven Grossman happened to be inside the ER on another matter when Stephens, who is his client, came stammering through the doors.

"He was crying out he'd been shot," Grossman said on Friday afternoon, as he drove to Stony Brook University Medical Center, where his client was recovering from surgery.

There were a dozen police units outside, including the Southampton Village police and State Police. "I've never seen so many police cars in one place in my life," he said.

The driver was taken into police custody. Village gave her a summons charging her with misdemeanors, as well as several traffic violations, Larsen said. She will be arraigned on those charges at a later date.

Meanwhile, town police are still seeking a suspect in the shooting.