UPDATE: On March 17, 2020, Kodi M. Napolitano, 27, of Mattydale, turned himself into state police. He is charged with second-degree assault (a class D felony), obstructing governmental administration and third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer (both class A misdemeanors) and reckless driving.
He was transported to the Onondaga County Justice Center for centralized arraignment.
ORIGINAL: On March 14, 2020, state police were conducting a stationary sobriety checkpoint on the I-81 northbound off-ramp to Seventh North Street in the town of Salina when, shortly after midnight, a male driver, later identified as Napolitano, entered the checkpoint operating a black Hummer H3 vehicle.
Marijuana odor was coming from the vehicle, and Napolitano was instructed to pull his truck to the side of the road for further investigation. Trooper John Zayas approached and directed Napolitano to exit his vehicle. As Zayas grasped the driver’s-side door handle, Napolitano abruptly accelerated, dragging Zayas for a short distance and causing injury. Multiple state police units attempted to stop Napolitano as he fled toward Seventh North Street but were unable to, due to his reckless driving.
A short time later, an Onondaga County Sheriff’s deputy located the suspect vehicle, unoccupied, in front of a residence on Viking Place in the town of Salina. The homeowner is acquainted with Napolitano and is cooperating with the police.
An arrest warrant was issued for Napolitano; Zayas was transported to SUNY Upstate Medical University to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.