91 traffic tickets, drug possession charge after East End police chases of upstate man, authorities say

An upstate man who fled two officers in an East End pursuit in late May was arrested on Wednesday in East Hampton, charged with felony drug possession, six misdemeanor counts including two counts of third-degree unlawful fleeing of a police officer — and 91 traffic citations, all stemming from the pursuit.

Official records show that Malik Ameer-Humza, 29, of Latham, entered a plea of not guilty on Wednesday in East Hampton Town Justice Court. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to remain on supervised release, with a return court date of Aug. 27. His Great Neck-based attorney of record did not immediately return inquiries seeking comment on Friday.

East Hampton Town Police Department Capt. Greg Martin said around 11:30 p.m. on May 25 an East Hampton police officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a gray 2019 Mercedes-Benz G Wagon headed west on Route 27 out of Montauk near Lincoln Road. But, Martin said, the driver failed to comply — and the officer, following a short pursuit, lost sight of the vehicle.

A short time later, Martin said a second officer spotted the G Wagon on Route 27 near Cranberry Hole Road in Amagansett.

"That officer made a second attempt at a traffic stop," Martin said, "but the driver continued to fail to comply" — the result, Martin said on Friday, being that the second officer, identified in documents as Joseph M. Riccardi, then initiated a second pursuit.

That pursuit wound its way onto Springs Fireplace Road in East Hampton and appeared to have ended, Martin said, when the G Wagon driven by Ameer-Humza was forced to stop at a dead-end beachhead.

 "Officer Riccardi exits his vehicle and orders the operator of the G Wagon to comply and cease fleeing," Martin said. "Instead, the G Wagon then turns around, heads southbound on Springs Fireplace Road — narrowly missing the officer and his vehicle before fleeing again." Martin said during the ensuing pursuit Riccardi lost sight of the G Wagon, but said police soon after found the Mercedes abandoned. A search for the driver came up empty at that time. The vehicle was impounded.

Police launched what Martin called "an extensive investigation" and, following interviews and other investigative avenues, traced the G Wagon to Ameer-Humza — and determined he was the driver who fled the officers on May 25.

On July 3, police executed a warrant search of the vehicle, recovering 500 milligrams of cocaine.

Ameer-Humza surrendered to police on Wednesday in East Hampton.

He was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, as well as second-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree obstructing governmental administration, two counts of reckless driving and the two counts of unlawful fleeing. The 91 traffic tickets, all stemming from the unlawful flight incident, include violations for driving at least twice the posted speed in both 30 mph and 40 mph zones, as well as failure to maintain travel lane, improper and unsafe passing of vehicles, failure to yield to the right of way of an emergency vehicle, failure to properly signal, failure to stop at a stop sign and driving left on the graded crest of a curved road.

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.”