Police chase ends in fiery crash

A Mastic man who led a patrol officer on a 7-mile-long pursuit had to be pulled from his burning car by that officer after he crashed into a wooded area along County Road 51 in Riverhead late Wednesday night, Suffolk County police said.

Jason Martin, 29, of Madison Avenue in Mastic was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. He was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and unlawful fleeing of a police officer.

Police said the incident began around 11:15 p.m. when a Seventh Precinct officer, Scott Jensen, saw the 1999 Chrysler Concord driven by Martin moving erratically as it traveled northbound on County Road 51 in Eastport. But, police said, when Jensen attempted to initiate a traffic stop Martin instead accelerated the car — and led the officer “on a pursuit that covered approximately seven miles and lasted approximately five minutes.”

Police did not say how fast Martin drove — or detail the top speed of the pursuit.

But, police said, the pursuit ended when Martin lost control of the car, crossed over the median “several times,” then crashed into a wooded area along the east side of the road.

The car wedged against a tree, pinning the driver’s-side door, police said. It also caught fire, as a result of the crash.

Police said Jensen pulled Martin from the burning vehicle via the passenger-side door. Jensen was not injured.

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Arraignment details for Martin were not immediately available Thursday morning. Neither was an update of his condition, police said.