Waterford, NY - Handcuffed Drug Suspect Steals Police Car - Hour Long Chase - Helicopter Search - Steals Shotgun

08/19/2007 THE RECORD
Suspect takes police car, leads cops on chase
Officers from four agencies converge in Schaghticoke to track down a suspect who took off in a Waterford Police cruiser Saturday. Mike McMahon -- 
 

WATERFORD - What started out as a simple drug arrest turned into an hour-long car chase after an armed suspect sped off with a police cruiser Saturday afternoon.
The chase that involved Waterford and Troy police departments, the State Police and the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department continued through Waterford, Pleasantdale, Troy, and Schaghticoke before the man was apprehended.
 

It started around 1:30 p.m. when the Waterford Police were called to Broad and First streets where a man was reported to be using drugs and who possibly was in possession of a handgun, said Waterford Public Safety Commissioner John Tanchak.
When police arrived the suspect fled on foot. "To avoid the police, the individual broke into 19 First Street where he was found hiding," said Tanchak.
Thomas R. Gervasio, 19 of 10 105th St., Troy, was then taken into custody, said police. But while secured in the back seat, the suspect managed to step through the handcuffs bringing his hands to his front. He then forced his way through the prisoner partition to the front seat, started the police cruiser and fled the scene, said Tanchak
In addition to commandeering the police cruiser, Gervasio also allegedly stole a shotgun and kept it with him during the car chase, witnesses at the scene said.
The suspect fled from the village into Troy, Pleasantdale and Schaghticoke. He then abandoned the police cruiser at the intersection of River and Haughty roads, and the chase continued on foot as the suspect ran through side streets and people's backyards.
At one point, he was spotted running into the woods near the Speigletown Fire House. A Schaghticoke woman from Big Bear Road contacted police that she had sighted the suspect and, fearing he was armed, was frantically trying to get her children into her house.
A State Police helicopter hovered above the area in search of the teen.
The Troy Police Department, the State Police, the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Department, and the Waterford Police Department then surrounded the area where the suspect continued on foot.
The 19-year-old was apprehended at around 2:50 p.m. by members of the Troy Police Department in an area off of Tag Road. He was brought back to Waterford where he is facing numerous felony charges including burglary, grand larceny, criminal mischief and escape, officials said.
He was scheduled to be arraigned in Waterford Town Court later Saturday.
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