Two police officers were injured and a Riverhead (NY) Police Department K-9 died in an incident that started at a DWI checkpoint on Peconic Avenue early Sunday morning. reports Riverhead Local.
Police pursuit of a vehicle that refused to stop at the checkpoint resulted in the crash of a Riverhead Police K-9 unit on West Main Street that claimed the life of K-9 "Rocky" and injured the K-9 officer driving the vehicle, Riverhead Town Police said in a press release.
The police K-9 unit crashed on West Main Street west of Raynor Avenue as it pursued a car whose driver refused to stop in the checkpoint at about 2:30 a.m., police said. The driver of the K-9 unit lost control of his vehicle, left the roadway, and struck a utility pole.
The police dog was ejected in the crash and died, police said. The officer was transported by Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment of injuries police described as not life-threatening.
