Man in stolen vehicle crashes after leading cops on chase, police say

A Patchogue man who stole a vehicle led police on a chase for several miles before he crashed into a fence at a nursery in Westhampton on Friday afternoon, Southampton Town police said.

Anthony Sala, 35, is charged with two counts of third-degree robbery, driving while intoxicated by drugs and multiple driving violations, police said in a statement Friday night.

Southampton Town police are continuing their investigation and considering additional charges, police said. Suffolk County police are also considering charging Sala, officials said.

The incident began about 3:44 p.m. Friday when Southampton Town police were notified by Suffolk County police of a vehicle-theft suspect who had led police into Southampton Town. At about the same time, Southampton Town police received a call, from the Macy’s parking lot in Hampton Bays. The caller told police a man had forcibly stolen a purse and drove away in a vehicle matching the description of the stolen vehicle Suffolk police were looking for, authorities said.

Southampton Town police found the allegedly stolen vehicle but the driver eluded officers and later stole another person’s pocketbook in the Southampton area, police said.

Police again caught up to car-theft suspect, later identified as Sala, in Westhampton where he "crashed into a fence at a local nursery causing damage." Sala then ran away before officers apprehended him a short time later, police said.