CAIRO — A Columbia County man accused of leading police on a pursuit last summer along the railroad tracks in Hudson was arrested on new charges over the weekend in Greene County.
Michael K. West, 30, of Philmont was arrested in the town of Cairo early Saturday morning following a traffic stop.
West was charged with two counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle, a class E felony, second-degree obstruction of governmental administration and resisting arrest, both class A misdemeanors, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a class E felony, and driving while intoxicated, a class U misdemeanor, according to state police.
Exact details on the circumstances that led to the charges were not immediately available from police on Monday.
After being charged on Saturday, West was released to a third party, police said.
The arrest of West on Saturday comes just over seven months since he was arrested in Columbia County for allegedly striking two parked cars as he fled from the scene of a domestic dispute and then leading police on a pursuit along Amtrak railroad tracks before crashing the car in the Hudson River. He later assaulted staff at Columbia Memorial Health, Hudson Police Chief L. Edward Moore said.
On Oct. 12, at about 9:15 p.m., Hudson police received a report of a domestic dispute at a residence on North 2nd Street.
When officers arrived about a minute later, the man was seen fleeing the house and driving away in a black 2002 Jeep Cherokee. As he sped away, he nearly struck a Hudson police cruiser and hit two parked cars, damaging both, Moore said.
A woman told police that she and her boyfriend had been arguing and that he was damaging her property.
Police pursued the fleeing vehicle to the waterfront. West continued driving south on the CSX maintenance road that runs parallel to the railroad tracks.
Officer Randy Strattman broke off the pursuit because of safety concerns due to the amount of dirt and debris that was being kicked up by the Jeep. He was then joined by a Columbia County Sheriff’s deputy as they followed south in search of West, Moore said.
Police traveled south to a turnaround near the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and then came back north to recheck the route.
Amtrak stopped trains in the area.
At 9:28 p.m., the Jeep Cherokee was found partially submerged in the Hudson River, just north of Hallenbeck Road. Evidence at the scene indicated that the Jeep had traveled several hundred yards off the road, through dense vegetation, until it hit a telephone pole and became airborne before crashing into the river, Moore said.
Officers at the scene took West into custody. West complained of back injuries and was taken to Columbia Memorial Health by Greenport Rescue Squad.
While at the hospital, West allegedly kicked an attending nurse in the head, causing an unspecified injury, Moore said.
West remains out on bail while both cases are pending in court.