Bohemia teen critical, charged with DWI after police chase, cops say

A Bohemia teenager was in critical condition Sunday morning after crashing a truck into another vehicle at the end of a police chase, Suffolk police said.

Thomas Barbella, 16, was driving a 2004 GMC southbound in the northbound lanes of Lakeland Avenue at about 12:23 a.m. when a Fifth Precinct patrol officer tried to pull him over and he fled.

Police pursued Barbella’s vehicle, and a short time later Barbella crashed into a 2016 Ford Fusion driven by Breanna Gamaldi, 26, also of Bohemia, at the intersection of Lakeland Avenue and the Sunrise Highway North Service Road.

Barbella was taken by Suffolk County police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was listed in critical condition. Gamaldi was taken to Southside Hospital in Bay Shore by Community Ambulance of Sayville with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said.

Barbella was charged with driving while intoxicated and additional charges are pending, police said. He was issued a field appearance ticket at the hospital for arraignment at a later date.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact Fifth Squad detectives at 631-854-8552. All callers will remain anonymous.