NYgsxr1000

happened last night......damn this guy is going to be screwed when they find him!!!

Here is the story from Newsday a long island newspaper:

A Suffolk police officer chasing a reckless motorcyclist, apparently through a red light, slammed into a car at a Mount Sinai intersection, killing the driver just blocks from his home, police said Thursday.

The death of Gabriel Bergianti, 27, Wednesday night occurred seven months after the department's pursuit policy came under scrutiny when a Farmingdale man was crushed to death in his home by a suspect who led police on a high-speed chaseSuffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer Thursday said the department was "deeply saddened" by Bergianti's death and that the initial investigation indicated the officer acted within department policy when he went through the red light.

"This was not a pursuit. It was a traffic stop," Dormer said.

Officer Robert Falisi was attempting to pull over a group of four motorcyclists when one of them ran the light and he followed, traveling one-fifth of a mile before the crash, Dormer said.

It appeared Bergianti had a green light as he drove his 1993 Ford Mustang convertible from Hallock Avenue onto Route 347, where the accident happened, Dormer said.

"Our goal is to find out the truth as to what caused the crash and what if anything can be done to prevent this type of tragedy in the future, including a review of our existing policy and procedures," Dormer said.

Bergianti, of Port Jefferson Station, who joined the Army National Guard in January, was taken to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead, police said. Falisi, of the Sixth Precinct, was taken to St. Charles Hospital and treated for cuts to his arm and bruises before being released.

Thursday, the victim's brother, Chris Bergianti, had no bitterness toward the officer, but he hoped that the motorcyclists who left the scene would be found. "I'd like to know who they were, who is responsible for this," he said.

The three who had pulled over "did the right thing" and offered assistance at the crash scene, but police did not know their identities, Dormer said.

The fourth motorcyclist fled, he said.

The crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. as Falisi responded to a call of motorcycles racing on Route 347, police said. As he drove east through the Hallock Avenue intersection, he saw a group of four motorcyclists on sport-style bikes headed west on Route 347, one of them doing an "extended wheelie," Dormer said.

Falisi made a U-turn, turned on his emergency lights and siren, and followed the bikes back toward the intersection. Three of the bikers pulled over, but one rider accelerated through a red light, with Falisi close behind him. "It was obvious this guy was intending to take off," Dormer said.

Suffolk pursuit policy states that "the officer can proceed through the red light if they have activated their siren and their emergency lights, but they should do so with caution," Dormer said.

The policy also requires officers to make an initial determination if a pursuit has begun and radio their supervisor for permission to continue that chase. In this incident, Dormer said, it did not appear the officer had enough time to make the initial determination.

Lindsay Eylers, 18, of Port Jefferson, was in the passenger seat of a car following the four motorcyclists and said she saw the police car accelerate after the bikes with its emergency lights on, but she did not hear a siren.

The police car did not appear to slow as it entered the intersection and crashed into the Mustang, Eylers said. "It looked to me like he was just focused on the motorcycle."

Bergianti's death comes less than seven months after William Calhoun, 59, of Farmingdale, was killed during a police pursuit on Dec. 30. In that incident, Suffolk officers approached two men suspected of dealing drugs in North Amityville. The driver fled and led police on a high-speed chase through North Amityville and Farmingdale. The suspect, Richard Mair, lost control of his car on Route 109 and crashed into Calhoun's house, killing him as he lay on his sofa.

The Calhoun family has filed a notice of claim to sue Nassau and Suffolk counties for $20 million. Dormer, citing the ongoing litigation, declined to comment on that case.

Dormer said that pursuit and other policies are "always under review" but no changes have been made to the pursuit policy since he became commissioner.

"We do look at our policies and training after these incidents . . . and if anything needs to be changed, we'll change it," he said.

matt360

Wow shitty news man. Hope the family of the victim gets every penny. Just another reason to leave this state. Horrible police procedures. If he knew to call it in before continuing why didn't he. Its not worth caseing someone because A) you in danger the person fleeing B) in danger the public C) in danger yourself. Unfortunitly this police officer looked past all of this for what now a family has to greeve cause he thought he was doing the right thing. You know somethimes the right thing to do is the wrong thing. There is a reason for the radio in the car. Unfortunitly its to late to use that now.

JoeR1

Damn...bad news, sorry to hear it.

I recently read on another thread where a similar thing happened and once they found the motorcyclist he was charged with manslaughter...

T-NECK

NO chase, NO problem.

JoeR1

"some" cops are like rabid dogs man...out for blood. Notice he could have cared less about the 3 bikes that stopped, he wanted the guy that bounced... not worth anyone's life

T-NECK

Its all about that Ego Stroke. He would have had props at the station for a "stunt biker" nab...instead he has innocent blood on his hands. Dont get it twisted, I dont condone running, but police need to learn how to exercise situational awareness, and stop with the tunnel vision.

Joker

Yeah, they can't bust the guy for running if the were not "chasing" him by their own admission. All he has to say is that he never realized that there was a cop behind him. I've had cops come behind me with there lights blazing and they weren't trying to pull me over, they were going somewhere else.

Righteous 1

If it wasn't a pursuit, the cop should have never run the red light. I feel for the victims family, but at the same time, I hope the rider never gets caught.

N/A

Besides, if that cop had stopped and spoke with the other 3 I bet you they could have got a name or something at least. It's not hard (as a cop) to put a ton of pressure on the other 3 bikers... they would have squeeled.

T-NECK

yupper.

JoeR1

My guess is that's what they are doing right now, it's no longer a traffic stop

JoeR1

https://www.stuntlife.com/forums/164...t-45-year.html

E-Loc540

its all good but if you think about it your fellow cyclists are ruining it...wont be any new model crotch rockets coming to the US...in 2010 your 2008 is still going to be the 'new model'...whatever I dont really care, Karma will handle it.

Righteous 1

We've talked about this before.........no sportbikes=no sports cars.........which = not gonna happen. Too much $ to be lost.

apfire26

All the cop had to do was look both ways, thats what everyone learns when getting they're drvers lisence, right? He's running a red light and can't even think to look in the direction of traffic.
What the hell was he thinking?

All because he wants to be a dick to a guy for doing a wheelie.

JoeR1

^^^exactly

excessa

I agree.

"We are still investigating the cause of this crash" = "we are still attempting to pin the entire event on the biker"

N/A

The cop was too busy strokin' his hard on for a guy doing a wheelie that he forgot to look both ways!

lamby

cops are out for sportbikes, they pull you over first than look at your bike. then they say "oh, i pulled you over cause of your aftermarket exhaust" 3 days, 10 tickets for my 4 friends. profiling is getting out of hand

illegal_skillz

Agree. If I'm not getting pulled over, I'm being followed. It has gotten bad. I don't even have to do any stunts or anything anymore to get their attention, FTP