A man who reportedly stole a car Thursday set off a high-speed chase through the City of Ithaca, striking the vehicle of police officers pursuing him before being caught by authorities, according to the Ithaca Police Department.
David Manzi, a 53-year-old resident of Syracuse, N.Y., was arrested and arraigned in the Ithaca City Court on two Class D felony charges: grand larceny in the third degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree, according to a press release from the IPD. Police say Manzi may face a litany of other charges, including felony level criminal mischief, felony level unlawfully fleeing of a police officer, driving while ability impaired by drugs and violations of vehicle and traffic laws.
The chase began when, at approximately 12:23 p.m., IPD officers responded to a call about a motor vehicle being stolen from the parking lot of the Hess Gas Station at 366 Elmira Rd., according to IPD.
Seeing the stolen vehicle moving through the city, police attempted to stop the vehicle, according to IPD. Manzi, however, allegedly refused to pull over.
Manzi then moved at a “high rate of speed” through the City of Ithaca, “at times driving the wrong way on a one-way street,” according to IPD.
At the intersection of South Corn Street and West Green Street, Manzi allegedly struck an unmarked IPD vehicle, injuring the three officers inside and causing “extensive damage” to the car, according to IPD. Soon after, Manzi abandoned the stolen vehicle behind a residential building in the 600 block of South Albany Street and fled on foot from the scene, police said.
IPD organized a ground search for Manzi, who was subsequently found inside a nearby housing complex, according to IPD. He was taken into custody without incident.
The three injured police officers were treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries, including neck and back pain, according to IPD.
Manzi, who was remanded to the Tompkins County Jail without bail Thursday, will appear in Ithaca City Court again on April 17, according to IPD.
Original Author: Akane Otani