Police say a Long Island man was nabbed for driving under the influence; thereafter, he pulled a Houdini while left unattended in a cop cruiser, slipped his cuffs over his head, and drove the car on a joyride.
Officials claim he was finally caught once more at a cemetery.
First arrested by state troopers at the scene of a crash on the Southern State Parkway Friday at approximately 5:25 a.m., John Gibson, 37, of Copiague was suspected of being intoxicated by drugs or alcohol.
He was detained and belted in the rear of a cop car and failed field sobriety tests.
Police reported Gibson then “managed to slip his handcuffs to the front, freed himself from the seat belt, climbed into the front seat of the patrol vehicle, and drove off.”
Eventually, police from Suffolk County Police helped troopers find the pilfered patrol cruiser close to a cemetery three miles from West Babylon.
Gibson was picked up from the graveyard, they reported.
Along with being captured driving under the influence, the suspect piled up several criminal counts for his illegal joyride.
According to cops, his extra raps included grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen goods, illegal vehicle use, escape, resistance to arrest, interference with government operations, and unlawful police officer fleeing.
Records show that he entered a not-guilty plea to all charges during his arraignment in Suffolk’s first district court.
