Riverhead cop slams fleeing driver to save Polish Festival crowd

A Riverhead woman drove into two parked cars, dodged police squad cars and barreled toward a crowd of festivalgoers Sunday morning before a police officer intentionally rammed her vehicle to stop her, police said.

Blanca Jimenez-Tapia, 34, was operating a Hyundai sedan about 10:26 a.m. when a traffic control officer working the Polish Festival spotted her driving erratically on Sweezy Avenue, according to Riverhead Town Police.

The officer saw her strike a parked car and try to speed off, then hit a second vehicle before fleeing north toward Osborn Avenue as the police officer chased on foot, police said.

Police said Jimenez-Tapia then turned south on Osborn Avenue and was racing directly toward the festival grounds filled with people. She swerved around marked patrol cars, uniformed officers and traffic barricades.

With the Hyundai still bearing down on the crowd, one cop made a split-second call and steered his marked patrol car into her path, ramming the Hyundai. The collision disabled Jimenez-Tapia’s car and ended the threat, police said.

Jimenez-Tapia was arrested and brought to Stony Brook University Hospital with minor injuries, police said. The officer was evaluated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries and taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

Jimenez-Tapia is charged with second-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer, in addition to being cited for a bevy of traffic violations, police said. She was released on an appearance ticket with a future court date.

_{Top: Polish Festival in Riverhead (Daniel Harding photo posted in riverhead.online Facebook group).}