The job of a New York State Trooper is dangerous and unpredictable, and even patrol duties are never ‘routine.’ As you can see from the article below from The Journal News, Troopers never know what they will be faced with each day as they place their lives on the line in the name of public safety.

By GERALD MCKINSTRY
gmckinst@thejournalnews.com
THE JOURNAL NEWS
(Original publication: July 30, 2006)

A Spring Valley man was arraigned yesterday in Clarkstown Town Court on charges he led state police on a high-speed chase and intentionally rammed a cruiser once cornered, injuring a state trooper.

State police said 40-year-old Vaughn Graham sped away from officers around 11:10 p.m. Friday near Exit 12 of the New York State Thruway in West Nyack and continued on several Rockland roadways before ending in New City.

Sgt. Blake Muthig said Trooper James Foley had stopped the green 1993 Pontiac that Graham was driving northbound on the Thruway for a routine traffic infraction.

He said Graham initially stopped, then took off, getting off at Exit 12 and going south on Route 303.

Reaching speeds of more than 80 mph, Graham went west on Route 59, north on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, then got off the parkway at Exit 11, police said. The car turned onto Buena Vista Road and then onto Rodeo Road, a dead end.

"He came to a dead end, made a U-turn and drove intentionally into the trooper’s car," Muthig said.

Muthig said that moments later Graham lost control on a sharp turn, hit a guard rail and drove into a ditch.

"The car wouldn’t go anymore, but the driver then attempted to crawl out and run," Muthig said.

Foley then captured and arrested the driver. The trooper was treated at Nyack Hospital for back and shoulder pain. He was released yesterday.

Muthig said Graham was charged with second-degree criminal mischief for intentionally driving into a car, a felony; second-degree assault, a felony; first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony; and driving while under the influence of drugs, a misdemeanor. Muthig said police found marijuana in Graham’s possession.

Graham was being held in the county jail.