Hewlett man arrested after fleeing the scene

An quick thinking tow truck operator said yes to giving a man a ride after he saw him walking near a black Dodge Ram truck that was involved in an accident.

The tow truck operator returned Mark Trebendis, 51, of Hewlett, to the scene where he allegedly side-swiped the driver’s side of a marked New York State Police patrol car and then fled the scene at roughly 11:50 p.m. on May 7. The trooper was conducting a traffic stop on the Southern State Parkway, eastbound west of exit 22.

The trooper subsequently determined that Trebendis was the same person who was operating the pickup truck that struck the police car and fled the scene, police said.

He was taken into custody and charged with driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident and unlawful possession of marijuana. He refused the breath test and was held for arraignment, according to police.