Heroes Who Kept Car From Slamming Into Polish Festival Crowd Honored

RIVERHEAD, NY — Suffolk County Legislator Greg Doroski honored three members of the Riverhead Town Police Department at the October 14 general meeting of the Suffolk County Legislature "for their quick thinking, decisive actions, and teamwork in preventing a potentially tragic incident at the Polish Town Fair in August," he said.

Riverhead Town Traffic Control Officer Ryan Zaleski, Police Officer Matthew Neknez, and Police Officer Stephen Ady were each presented with proclamations recognizing their roles in stopping a fleeing vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed toward thousands of residents and visitors attending the annual fair, Doroski said.

On August 16, Zaleski was assigned to the festival when he observed a woman driving erratically and striking parked vehicles on Sweezy Avenue, Doroski said.

After attempting to stop the driver, he immediately alerted fellow officers when she fled toward the crowded festival area, providing critical information about the vehicle and its direction of travel, he said.

As the vehicle approached the fair, Neknez and Lieutenant Dino Isgro attempted to stop the driver, who continued around police vehicles and officers, Doroski said.

Recognizing the serious danger to pedestrians, Neknez quickly communicated the threat to officers ahead, Doroski said.

With the vehicle rapidly approaching the crowded festival, Ady "made the split-second decision to position his patrol car directly between the fleeing vehicle and the fair. The vehicle struck his patrol car and was stopped before reaching the crowd. No fairgoers or police officers were injured," Doroski said.

"Thousands of families, children, and visitors were enjoying a wonderful community tradition when, in a matter of seconds, a very dangerous situation unfolded," Doroski said. "These three officers recognized the danger, communicated with one another, and acted without hesitation. Each made the right decision at a critical moment, and together they prevented what could have been a terrible tragedy."

Doroski emphasized that the officers' actions reflected not only their individual courage and judgment, but also the training, professionalism, and teamwork of the entire Riverhead Town Police Department.

"We sometimes take for granted what we ask of our police officers," Doroski continued. "They are called upon to make split-second decisions that most of us will never face. I want to thank Chief Ed Frost, Captain Danielle Willsey, and the entire Riverhead Town Police Department for their professionalism and dedication to protecting our community. We are fortunate to have officers who know this community, care about its residents, and are ready to respond when lives are at stake."

In recognizing the three officers, Doroski highlighted how their individual actions came together to protect the thousands of people attending the fair.

The heroic efforts of a police officer kept a driver from careening into the crowdat the Riverhead Polish Festival on Sunday morning, authorities said in August.

According to the Riverhead Police Department, the incident took place at about 10:26 a.m. on Osborn Avenue.

Zaleski, assigned to the Polish Festival, saw a Hyundai four-door sedan begin "operated erratically," by a driver, police said.

The TCO saw the Hyundai strike a parked vehicle on Sweezy Avenue and then attempt to leave the area, police said.

As the TCO approached the Hyundai, the driver then struck a second vehicle and continued in the attempt to leave the area, police said.

The TCO approached the vehicle on foot in an effort to get the driver to stop; however, she fled the area at a high rate of speed, traveling northbound toward Osborn Avenue, police said.

The TCO immediately relayed the information to uniformed officers assigned to the festival, police said.

A short time later, several uniformed officers observed the Hyundai traveling southbound on Osborn Avenue at a high rate of speed toward the festival area, which had been closed to vehicular traffic due to the large number of pedestrians present, police said.

Several officers attempted to stop the vehicle; however, the driver continued around marked police vehicles, uniformed officers, and traffic-control devices that were blocking the roadway, police said.

As the vehicle continued toward the festival area and failed to stop, a uniformed officer operating a marked police vehicle took action to intercept the Hyundai "due to the immediate threat it posed to the large number of pedestrians in its path," police said.

The officer's marked police vehicle was struck by the Hyundai, causing the Hyundai to become disabled and stopping the threat to the public, police said.

The driver, Blanca Jimenez-Tapia, 34, of Riverhead, was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

She was subsequently transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained during the collision, police said.

The officer involved was evaluated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries and transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center, treated and released, police said.

Jimenez-Tapia was arrested and charged with multiple New York State vehicle and traffic law violations, as well as second-degree reckless endangerment and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, police said.

She was released from custody on an appearance ticket with a future court date, police said.