A man led police on a car chase, drove off a 100-foot cliff on Long Island and survived

SOUTHOLD, N.Y. (AP) — A driver led police on a 45-minute chase on New York’s Long Island, drove off a 100-foot (30-meter) cliff into Long Island Sound — and survived, police said.

Monday’s car chase started when police in Southold in far eastern Long Island responded to a domestic violence call, Police Chief Martin Flatley told Newsday.

The man drove off and reached speeds of up to 100 mph (161 kph) as he crossed back and forth across eastern Long Island, police said.

The driver turned onto Sound Road in Greenport, heading toward the water, and did not stop, police said.

“Never hits the brakes, never slows down,” Flatley told the newspaper. “Hits an embankment at the end of the street, goes airborne over the bluff, off the beach and into Long Island Sound.”

The car landed in 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) of water. Officers dived in, pulled the driver out and arrested him, police said.

Flatley said the man complained of pain but had no visible injuries. Charges against him were pending.