UPDATE: Suffolk County police later confirmed the driver of the BMW was arrested at approximately 9:30 p.m. Naiyyir Escayg, 20, of Centereach, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident.
A large police response unfolded across Miller Place and nearby neighborhoods Tuesday night after the occupants of a BMW fled on foot following a crash, according to Suffolk County police and eyewitness reports from residents.
Suffolk County police said a 40-year-old Port Jefferson woman was driving a 2022 Lexus sedan out of a driveway onto northbound Miller Place Road at approximately 8 p.m. on May 12 when a northbound 2024 BMW sideswiped the passenger side of her vehicle.
The BMW then crashed into a brick fence in front of 451 Miller Place Road, police said.
Authorities said the driver and passengers of the BMW fled the scene on foot. The woman driving the Lexus was not injured.
Residents across Miller Place and Sound Beach later reported seeing a heavy police presence in the area, including multiple Suffolk County police vehicles searching neighborhoods with spotlights and officers moving through wooded areas near Henearly Drive and surrounding streets.
Several residents in a local community group said they saw police activity near Tyler Avenue and the Handy Pantry area. One commenter claimed a male and female fled into nearby woods.
Other residents reported hearing or seeing a helicopter flying low over the area during the search, though police have not officially confirmed helicopter involvement.
Another resident reported seeing a damaged white BMW on Mount Sinai-Coram Road surrounded by police and SWAT officers. Police have not confirmed whether that incident was connected to the Miller Place crash.
Scanner traffic shared online referenced a person fleeing on foot in the area around the same time, though officials have not publicly released additional details about the search.
The investigation is continuing.
Photo: Google Maps of 451 Miller Place Road
