James Fenner of Bay Shore charged with leading police on 30-mile chase after carjacking, officials say

A carjacking in a gas station parking lot in Lake Ronkonkoma late Sunday ended after a 30-mile inter-county police pursuit, a crash on the Northern State Parkway in Carle Place and the suspect in custody, the Suffolk police said.

Suspect James Fenner, 20, of Bay Shore fled the scene of the crash on foot but was eventually apprehended by officers. Fenner was transported to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crash.

Police said the incident began at 11:55 p.m. Sunday when Fenner approached a 2022 Toyota Corolla parked at USA Gas Mart on Portion Road in Lake Ronkonkoma. Fenner “got into the car and punched” the driver, police said in a statement.

The victim, whose identity and age were not released, exited the car and Fenner drove off, police said.

A Suffolk Highway Patrol unit set off in pursuit of Fenner and the stolen Toyota on the westbound Long Island Expressway. The chase continued into Nassau County, police said, where Fenner drove onto the westbound Northern State via Exit 42 in Jericho.

Fenner continued on before he “lost control of the Toyota” about 12:25 a.m. at Exit 31, Glen Cove Road, leaving the roadway on the exit ramp and crashing into a wooded area, police said.

That’s when Fenner fled the scene on foot before he was captured a short time later, police said.

Additional details were not immediately available, including whether other police agencies were involved in the pursuit.

Police have charged Fenner with second-degree robbery, third-degree grand larceny and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle. At his arraignment Monday in First District Court in Central Islip, Fenner pleaded not guilty and a temporary order of protection was issued, according to online court records

Fenner is being represented by Suffolk County Legal Aid, court records showed.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”