Cody Fisher, of Brentwood, charged in crash that critically injured Suffolk officer, taunted him before speeding off, DA Ray Tierney says

The criminal defendant whose reckless driving allegedly caused a crash that left a Suffolk police officer battling for his life earlier this month taunted the officer by revving his engine before speeding off on the Long Island Expressway, prosecutors said Friday.
"He sped up and revved his engine, and took off," Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said following Cody B. Fisher’s arraignment on Friday. "So the facts would certainly bear that out, that was a deliberate act."
Defense attorney Eric Besso entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Fisher, 29, to assault on a police officer, second-degree assault, and other crimes outlined in a 10-count indictment that upgraded the charges against him during an arraignment in Riverhead before Suffolk Supreme Court Justice John Collins.
Collins set Fisher’s bail at $1 million cash, $2 million bond and $10 million partially secured bond. The judge ordered Fisher to return to court on Feb. 20.
Fisher, of Brentwood, revved the engine of his 2021 Ford Mustang to "taunt" officer Brendon Gallagher as he sped westbound between Exits 57 and 58 on the Long Island Expressway on Jan. 5, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Laura Newcombe told Collins on Friday.
Fisher’s blood alcohol content was 0.06% several hours after the near-fatal crash, Newcombe said, and THC was also in his blood. The legal BAC limit in New York State is 0.08%.
Fisher had been seen drinking at a Holtsville restaurant earlier in the day. His breath and car smelled like marijuana, Newcombe said, and his eyes were glassy when he was arrested.
Gallagher, 30, had been at a routine traffic stop, Newcombe said, when Fisher sped by and taunted him, driving more than 100 mph. Gallagher attempted to pull Fisher over, and the Mustang struck Gallagher’s police vehicle, causing it to flip on its side and hit a tree, leaving the officer with critical injuries.
Fisher, dressed in green Suffolk jail clothes, said little and showed no emotion during his arraignment.
"Mr. Fisher wishes a healthy and speedy recovery for the officer," Besso told Collins. Besso declined to discuss the case with reporters following the hearing.
Dozens of Suffolk police officials and officers, including Acting Commissioner Robert Waring, Deputy Commissioner Kevin Catalina and Police Benevolent Association President Lou Civello, crowded into the courtroom for Friday’s hearing
Suffolk Police Benevolent Association First Vice President John Hnat said Gallagher, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, had improved since the Jan. 5 crash but remains severely injured. Gallagher is in fair condition at Stony Brook University Hospital.
“We had the opportunity to visit with Brendon last night and it is nothing short of a miracle that he is at the point where is at right now," Hnat said. "He is able to sit up and speak. Truly a miracle."
The expressway crash is the second time Gallagher has been injured during his three-year tenure with the Suffolk County Police Department. He was stabbed during a confrontation with a Medford man in December 2022. Gallagher’s partner, Raymond Stock, was also injured during that attack.
Fisher was on probation at the time of the crash for a weapons charge stemming from a 2021 Queens road rage incident, Newcombe said. She said he was involved in Long Island’s street-racing scene and posted photos showing him involved in street racing doing asphalt "doughnuts" on social media.
Gallagher is a member of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Street Takeover Task Force, created last year to combat illegal street racing.
"It shows a disregard for the safety of all of us, especially our police officers who are in charge of keeping our roadways safe," Tierney said.
Gallagher was trapped in the twisted wreckage for 45 minutes before police were able to remove him and fly him via helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital. His aorta was slashed, according to Dr. James Vosswinkel, the hospital’s chief of trauma surgery and the Suffolk police chief surgeon, resulting in a tremendous loss of blood. His abdominal wall was lacerated through the skin and muscle.
Vosswinkel has said that Gallagher has a long and potentially difficult path to recovery.
Hnat said Gallagher, who spent a week in a medically induced coma, appeared to be in good spirits during their visit Thursday night.
"He’s good, he recognized everybody in the room, he was joking around with us," Hnat said. "We are cautiously optimistic."
The criminal defendant whose reckless driving allegedly caused a crash that left a Suffolk police officer battling for his life earlier this month taunted the officer by revving his engine before speeding off on the Long Island Expressway, prosecutors said Friday.
"He sped up and revved his engine, and took off," Suffolk District Attorney Ray Tierney said following Cody B. Fisher’s arraignment on Friday. "So the facts would certainly bear that out, that was a deliberate act."
Defense attorney Eric Besso entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Fisher, 29, to assault on a police officer, second-degree assault, and other crimes outlined in a 10-count indictment that upgraded the charges against him during an arraignment in Riverhead before Suffolk Supreme Court Justice John Collins.
Collins set Fisher’s bail at $1 million cash, $2 million bond and $10 million partially secured bond. The judge ordered Fisher to return to court on Feb. 20.
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- The man whose reckless driving allegedly caused a crash that left a Suffolk police officer battling for his life earlier this month taunted the officer by revving his engine before speeding off on the Long Island Expressway, prosecutors said.
- Defense attorney Eric Besso entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Cody B. Fisher, 29, to assault on a police officer, second-degree assault, and other crimes outlined in a 10-count indictment that upgraded the charges against him.
- A judge set Fisher’s bail at $1 million cash, $2 million bond and $10 million partially secured bond. The judge ordered Fisher to return to court on Feb. 20.
Fisher, of Brentwood, revved the engine of his 2021 Ford Mustang to "taunt" officer Brendon Gallagher as he sped westbound between Exits 57 and 58 on the Long Island Expressway on Jan. 5, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Laura Newcombe told Collins on Friday.
Fisher’s blood alcohol content was 0.06% several hours after the near-fatal crash, Newcombe said, and THC was also in his blood. The legal BAC limit in New York State is 0.08%.
Fisher had been seen drinking at a Holtsville restaurant earlier in the day. His breath and car smelled like marijuana, Newcombe said, and his eyes were glassy when he was arrested.
Gallagher, 30, had been at a routine traffic stop, Newcombe said, when Fisher sped by and taunted him, driving more than 100 mph. Gallagher attempted to pull Fisher over, and the Mustang struck Gallagher’s police vehicle, causing it to flip on its side and hit a tree, leaving the officer with critical injuries.
Fisher, dressed in green Suffolk jail clothes, said little and showed no emotion during his arraignment.
"Mr. Fisher wishes a healthy and speedy recovery for the officer," Besso told Collins. Besso declined to discuss the case with reporters following the hearing.
Dozens of Suffolk police officials and officers, including Acting Commissioner Robert Waring, Deputy Commissioner Kevin Catalina and Police Benevolent Association President Lou Civello, crowded into the courtroom for Friday’s hearing
Suffolk Police Benevolent Association First Vice President John Hnat said Gallagher, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan, had improved since the Jan. 5 crash but remains severely injured. Gallagher is in fair condition at Stony Brook University Hospital.
“We had the opportunity to visit with Brendon last night and it is nothing short of a miracle that he is at the point where is at right now," Hnat said. "He is able to sit up and speak. Truly a miracle."
The expressway crash is the second time Gallagher has been injured during his three-year tenure with the Suffolk County Police Department. He was stabbed during a confrontation with a Medford man in December 2022. Gallagher’s partner, Raymond Stock, was also injured during that attack.
Fisher was on probation at the time of the crash for a weapons charge stemming from a 2021 Queens road rage incident, Newcombe said. She said he was involved in Long Island’s street-racing scene and posted photos showing him involved in street racing doing asphalt "doughnuts" on social media.
Gallagher is a member of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Street Takeover Task Force, created last year to combat illegal street racing.
"It shows a disregard for the safety of all of us, especially our police officers who are in charge of keeping our roadways safe," Tierney said.
Gallagher was trapped in the twisted wreckage for 45 minutes before police were able to remove him and fly him via helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital. His aorta was slashed, according to Dr. James Vosswinkel, the hospital’s chief of trauma surgery and the Suffolk police chief surgeon, resulting in a tremendous loss of blood. His abdominal wall was lacerated through the skin and muscle.
Vosswinkel has said that Gallagher has a long and potentially difficult path to recovery.
Hnat said Gallagher, who spent a week in a medically induced coma, appeared to be in good spirits during their visit Thursday night.
"He’s good, he recognized everybody in the room, he was joking around with us," Hnat said. "We are cautiously optimistic."
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: Wrestling, North Babylon hoops and more! Will Grayson Meak faceoff against Devin Downes in counties? Meanwhile North Babylon's Jasmine McKay hoops it up and there's history on the mat in Nassau County in Episode 2 of "Sarra Sounds Off."
SARRA SOUNDS OFF: Wrestling, North Babylon hoops and more! Will Grayson Meak faceoff against Devin Downes in counties? Meanwhile North Babylon's Jasmine McKay hoops it up and there's history on the mat in Nassau County in Episode 2 of "Sarra Sounds Off."