NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A Long Island man faces DWI and other charges after he crashed through a fence at a Long Island school and drove through a field, forcing dozens of students and staff to flee to safety, Nassau County Police said Thursday.
No one was injured as Edward Coghlan, 73, allegedly sped through the field at Rhame Avenue Elementary School in East Rockaway on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Nassau County Police/Google Street View
It all started in the parking lot of a Wendy's on Ocean Avenue, where police said Coghlan struck a Subaru with his Lincoln around 12:45 p.m.
Coghlan left the Wendy's, driving southbound on Ocean Avenue with the Subaru driver following him, police said.
He eventually crashed through a chain link fence at the school on Rhame Avenue, according to police.
Surveillance video obtained by WABC shows a Lincoln sedan plowing through a fence and driving onto the school's field.
Police said 80 students and several staff members were on the field at the time.
Staff members were able to safely get all of the students back inside the school after Coghlan crashed through the fence, according to police.
Coghlan "continued driving across the field erratically and at a high rate of speed and fled the scene," police said.
He was eventually located driving on West Boulevard and taken into custody without incident, according to police.
No injuries were reported, police said.
Coghlan faces charges of driving while intoxicated, two counts of fourth-degree criminal mischief, second-degree reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a child.
He was set to be arraigned in Mineola on Thursday.
