BRENTWOOD, NY – A 29-year-old Brentwood man admitted in court that he was impaired by alcohol and marijuana when he struck a Suffolk County Police vehicle during a high-speed chase on the Long Island Expressway, leaving Officer Brendon Gallagher with serious injuries.
On September 4, 2025, Cody B. Fisher pleaded guilty to multiple felony charges, including Assault on a Police Officer, after prosecutors said he reached speeds of up to 100 miles per hour in his 2021 Ford Mustang before intentionally striking Gallagher’s patrol car. The crash caused the officer’s vehicle to overturn and slam into a tree, forcing rescuers to extricate him before he was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital. Gallagher suffered a torn aorta and abdominal injuries that required surgery.
The incident began on January 5, 2025, when Gallagher was conducting a traffic stop on the expressway between exits 58 and 57. Fisher drove past at high speed, revving his engine. When Gallagher attempted to pull him over, Fisher fled, weaving between lanes before colliding with the officer’s vehicle twice.
Police said Fisher’s car continued several hundred feet before coming to a stop. Responding officers noted his glassy eyes, slurred speech, unsteady stance, and a strong odor of burnt cannabis. A blood test later revealed a .06 percent blood alcohol level and active marijuana in his system.
Fisher pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- Assault on a Police Officer (Class C violent felony)
- Assault in the Second Degree (Class D violent felony)
- Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree (Class E felony)
- Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in the Second Degree (Class E felony)
- Driving While Ability Impaired by the Combined Influence of Alcohol and Drugs (misdemeanor)
- Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle (misdemeanor)
He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 21, 2025, and is expected to receive 10 years in prison followed by five years of post-release supervision. He is represented by attorneys Eric Besso and Peter Mayer Jr.
The case was investigated by Detective Donal Hughes of the Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit and prosecuted by Acting Deputy Bureau Chief Laura Newcombe and Assistant District Attorney Annemarie DiBlasio of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.
Case Snapshot: Brentwood Man Guilty in Police Assault Crash
- Defendant: Cody B. Fisher, 29, of Brentwood
- Incident Date: January 5, 2025
- Location: Long Island Expressway, between exits 58 and 57
- Victim: Suffolk County Police Officer Brendon Gallagher – suffered torn aorta and abdominal injuries requiring surgery
- What Happened:
- Fisher, impaired by alcohol and marijuana, sped past officer during a traffic stop
- Reached speeds up to 100 mph in 2021 Ford Mustang
- Struck Gallagher’s police vehicle twice, causing it to overturn and hit a tree
- Arrest Details:
- Fisher showed signs of impairment, refused initial blood test
- Warranted test revealed BAC of .06% + active marijuana
- Charges (pleaded guilty):
- Assault on a Police Officer (Class C violent felony)
- Assault in the Second Degree (Class D violent felony)
- Vehicular Assault in the Second Degree (Class E felony)
- Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in the Second Degree (Class E felony)
- DWAI by Alcohol and Drugs (misdemeanor)
- Unlicensed Operation (misdemeanor)
- Expected Sentence: 10 years in prison + 5 years post-release supervision (sentencing Oct. 21, 2025)
