He nearly hits cop with Mercedes as he flees car stop on Staten Island, then reports car stolen, authorities allege

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Authorities allege that a man fleeing from a car stop in Stapleton nearly ran over a police officer and almost collided with another vehicle before ditching his vintage Mercedes-Benz and later reporting it stolen.

Leonard Thomas, 33, of Holland Avenue in Mariners Harbor, allegedly did not have a valid license when he was driving a black, 2006 Mercedes-Benz on April 20 around 9:20 p.m. in the vicinity of Broad and Gordon streets, according to the criminal complaint and police.

Police pulled the Mercedes-Benz over and while a male officer was standing at the driver’s side of the car, Thomas shifted the vehicle into drive, “nearly striking [the officer] and causing [the officer] to jump out of the path of [the] defendant’s vehicle to avoid being struck,” the complaint alleges.

The car then drove away, speeding northbound on Gordon Street, before turning left without signaling or obeying a stop sign on Purroy Place, “causing a motorist to swerve out of the way to avoid a collision,” according to the complaint.

The Mercedes-Benz continued speeding and disregarded a stop sign and didn’t signal as it turned right onto Targee Street and continued northbound, “weaving in and out of traffic and overtaking multiple vehicles,” the complaint alleges.

Thomas made a left turn onto Van Duzer Street at a high rate of speed while blasting past a stop sign and not signaling, police said.

He then allegedly abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot.

The complaint alleges that days later, on April 24 around 5:30 p.m., the suspect filed a police report claiming that his Mercedes-Benz was stolen on April 20 at 8 p.m. at the corner of Harbor Road and Richmond Terrace. He was arrested on May 19.

The complaint alleges that Thomas’ driver’s license was suspended or revoked.

Thomas has been charged with reckless endangerment, falsely reporting an incident, unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reckless driving and a motor vehicle license violation.

He pleaded guilty in Supreme Court to assault in the second degree connected with an arrest on Sept. 20, 2020 and was sentenced in April 2021 to six months in jail, according to public records.

Thomas is free on bail set at $10,000/$5,000 cash. He is due back in Criminal Court on June 29, according to public records.

An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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