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A Mount Sinai man accused of dragging a woman across a shopping center parking lot while stealing her purse and then leading police on a high-speed chase has been indicted, Suffolk County prosecutors said.
Mark Callahan, 53, was arraigned Wednesday in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead on charges of second-degree robbery, a Class C violent felony, and third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle.
Prosecutors said the incident unfolded about 1 p.m. on Feb. 18 outside the T.J. Maxx in Port Jefferson Station, where the victim was walking from her car toward a nail salon in the same Nesconset Highway (Route 347) shopping center.
Callahan allegedly drove up in a black Chevrolet Suburban, jumped from the vehicle and grabbed the strap of the woman’s pocketbook. When she refused to let go, authorities said, Callahan climbed back into the driver’s seat while still holding the purse and began to drive away, briefly dragging the victim across the pavement until she was forced to release it.
“What began as an attempted purse theft escalated into a terrifying ordeal for this victim,” Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said. “Protecting the quality of life in Suffolk means holding offenders accountable and ensuring that our community remains a place where families can shop, work and live without fear.”
Cops responding to the scene pursued Callahan, who allegedly tried to flee at speeds over 90 mph. During the police chase, authorities said, Callahan crashed through a snow embankment into a parking lot in Farmingville and struck another vehicle before stopping.
When officers approached, Callahan allegedly brandished a knife and stabbed himself 11 times in the abdomen.
The victim was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital with multiple abrasions to her left leg and arm, authorities said. Her pocketbook was later recovered by police along the route of the pursuit.
State Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro ordered Callahan held on $250,000 cash bail, $500,000 bond, or a $2.5 million partially secured bond.
If convicted of the second-degree robbery charge, Callahan faces up to 15 years in prison.
Top: T.J. Maxx in Port Jefferson Station (Google Maps Street View)
