Nassau Police: 'She's Fortunate to be Alive'

An arrest was made this week in connection with a  that seriously injured a police officer.

But the investigation – and the officer's recovery – are far from over, Nassau Police said on Friday.

"She is fortunate to be alive," said Police Department Chief Steven Skrynecki about the injured 20-year veteran of the Seventh Precinct. "Her recovery will be long and involved and it's a possibility she will not regain full body function."

Police , 23, of Amityville, on Wednesday after a three-month investigation by a task force of homicide detectives, the Crimes Against Property Squad, the Seventh Precinct and the public.

On Nov. 21, a resident in North Massapequa called about two men switching license plates on a vehicle in an area known for . The officer arrived in the neighborhood and followed that vehicle onto the Southern State, where police said the suspicious car began to make dangerous evasive maneuvers.

Police are not releasing the identity of the officer out of respect for her privacy, but Skrynecki said she is "a very strong and courageous woman" with a "tremendous record on the force."

"We believe in this case they were fleeing an area where they were about to or just had committed a crime," said Det. John Azzata, the commanding officer of the Homicide Unit.

Ultimately, police said Blanton slammed on his brakes causing the officer to swerve and hit a guard rail. The patrol car then bounced back into traffic where it was hit by another car and the officer was airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center.

"She is out of the hospital and she is being treated with aggressive rehabilitation," said Azzata. "Most of her injured body parts are immobilized so that she doesn’t cause any significant secondary injuries from her prior injuries." 

Police said the investigation is not over and that they believe there other individuals involved in this incident. They credited the public for the initial call and submitting photos of the car and a second tip later in the investigation about an overheard conversation with the suspect.

Blanton was charged with assault in the second degree, fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle in the second degree, reckless endangerment in the second degree, reckless driving and leaving the scene of a serious physical injury incident.