Local pol looks to up ante against high speed chases
Just one day after a 41-year-old fugitive led police on a high-speed car chase that cut through Staten Island, across the Verrazano Bridge and ended in Bath Beach, State Senator Marty Golden introduced legislation that would up the ante and increase penalties for those found guilty of unlawful fleeing.
“We have seen both high speed and low speed chases result in injury and death of police officers, pedestrians and other drivers,” said Golden, a former New York City police officer. “Current law for fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle is too lenient and individuals take their chances in the hopes to get away.”
Golden hopes to deter activity similar to the Thursday, February 24 arrest of Anthony Mazza – a defendant who had failed to appear for his aggravated assault sentencing in Old Bridge, New Jersey – and who, alongside another man, led authorities on a high speed chase that began at the Outerbridge Crossing around 2 p.m. and ended with a crash at the corner of 14th and Cropsey Avenues.