Cops: Traffic stop turns into helicopter search

A traffic stop of a car with defective brake lights in Uniondale Tuesday night turned into a police chase and helicopter search for the driver, police said.

That driver, a Uniondale man who was stopped at 5:12 p.m. on southbound Uniondale Avenue, was eventually arrested on Northern Parkway, Nassau County police said.

When officers learned during the traffic stop that Fabeian Profitt, 22, of Emerson Street, had "numerous" license suspensions, they attempted to arrest him but Profitt broke free and ran.

An extensive search, including a helicopter, were used to scour the area for Profitt. Police said Profitt was eventually located on nearby Northern Parkway, where he was arrested and charged with second-degree assault, resisting arrest, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operator, uninsured motor vehicle, defective brake lights and excessive tinted windows.

He was arraigned Wednesday in First District Court in Hempstead. He was ordered held on $2,500 bond and is scheduled to return to court Friday.

Police said an officer involved in the search for Profitt injured his hand scaling a fence. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.