Suffolk County Police yesterday arrested a man in Holtsville for stealing a fire department emergency vehicle at the scene of a motor vehicle crash, in which he was involved, in Yaphank.

Jaime Alexander Brayton was traveling westbound on the Long Island Expressway, when he crashed the vehicle he was driving, disabling it, along with multiple other vehicles, at 6:26 p.m.

Highway Patrol and Seventh Precinct officers, along with Yaphank Fire Department personnel, responded to the scene.

While the expressway was being closed to westbound traffic and victims of the crash were being assisted, Brayton entered the driver’s side of a fire department emergency vehicle. Police officer Matthew Corchia reached into the vehicle in an attempt to stop Brayton, who then drove forward, which injured Corchia’s arm. Brayton then fled westbound in the vehicle, at 6:37 p.m.  

Highway Patrol officers pursued, and with the assistance of aviation, were able to stop the vehicle in the HOV lane, west of Exit 62, and take Brayton into custody at 6:43 p.m.

Brayton, 33, of Hudson, New Hampshire, was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital via Holbrook Fire Department ambulance for treatment of minor injuries received in the crash. Officer Corchia was treated for minor injury to his shoulder at the same hospital.

Brayton was charged with Grand Larceny 3^rd Degree, Assault 2^nd Degree, and Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle 3^rd Degree.

He is scheduled to be arraigned pending release from the hospital.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.