Man charged with DWI after ditching car

A Riverhead man who tried to use his wheels and then his heels to escape police after driving his car into a snowbank Wednesday night in Riverhead faces charges of felony drunken driving and unlawful flight, State Police said.

Troopers responding to a report of an accident on Flanders Road in Riverhead around 11:40 p.m. found a blue Audi stuck in the snow, a police news release said.

The troopers turned on their emergency lights, but the Audi driver maneuvered out of the snow and sped away.

Troopers followed the speeding vehicle, which did not pull over, they said.

The driver hit a fence and small tree while trying to turn at the intersection of Sweezey Avenue and Duane Street, then left the car and ran off, the release said.

Police said they caught the driver, Christopher Anstett, 39, of 386 Marcy Ave., a short time later.

Anstett is charged with felony DWI because he was convicted of drunken driving in the past 10 years, police said. He also is charged with unlawfully fleeing from police and several traffic violations.

Anstett was scheduled to be arraigned Thursday in the Town of Riverhead Court.