Cops: Man arrested after fleeing 2 crashes

A Coram man was arrested following a search by a canine unit after he fled the scenes of two minor vehicle accidents in Suffolk -- and assaulted a driver who chased him, police said.

Christopher Gorwitz, 39, was charged with driving while intoxicated and driving while ability impaired by drugs, as well as third-degree assault, two counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage and "numerous" vehicle and traffic law infractions -- including driving with a suspended license, no insurance and no registration -- after his arrest Wednesday night in Coram, Suffolk County police said.

After his arrest, police said Gorwitz was taken to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson for treatment of minor injuries.

Arraignment details were not immediately available.

Police said that Gorwitz, driving a 2004 Ford Econoline van, hit a Hyundai sedan on Coram-Mount Sinai Road at about 11:30 p.m. -- then fled, the Hyundai driver giving chase.

The pursuit made its way into a nearby residential area, with Gorwitz driving the van into a driveway on West Denis Lane, where police said he struck a parked vehicle and the garage, damaging both.

Police said the driver of the first car Gorwitz hit confronted him when he exited the van, then followed him into a nearby yard -- where police said Gorwitz punched him.

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Gorwitz then fled on foot. police said.

A police canine unit later found Gorwitz in some bushes on a nearby street.

The Hyundai driver, identified only as a man from Holtsville, was taken to John T. Mather Memorial Hospital in Port Jefferson for treatment of minor injuries. He was treated and released.