On Sunday, Aug. 19, at about 8:30 p.m., Glen Cove Police were called to the scene of an overturned vehicle on Walnut Road in Glen Cove, reported Glen Cove Det. Sgt. Tom Fitzpatrick. According to the sergeant, PO Chris Albin was the first on the scene and observed the car overturned, motor running, with no occupants. Several witnesses exiting a nearby church told the officer that they had seen a man climb out of the car after it had flipped, and run away. Shortly thereafter, said Sgt. Fitzpatrick, during the search for the missing driver, a woman claiming to be the mother of the driver came to the scene of the accident and told officers that she was in contact with her son by cell phone and that he relayed to her that he was hurt, that he could not walk, and did not know where he was, stating only that it was dark and he was surrounded by trees.

Fearing a dire medical emergency, the GCPD began an all-out search for the missing 22-year-old, said the sergeant, as Chief William Whitton coordinated the effort by calling in every available resource to assist in the search operation, including the Glen Cove Fire Department, the Glen Cove Auxiliary Police, Glen Cove EMS and Nassau County Police patrol units, as well as the county's aviation and canine units. The searchers meticulously scoured the area yard by yard and through wooded areas looking for the injured man, said Sgt. Fitzpatrick, and a helicopter flew overhead using infrared equipment.

It was two hours later that a Nassau County 6th Precinct patrol car assigned to perimeter security observed a man fitting the driver's description riding in the passenger seat of a passing car near Highland Road and St. Andrews Lane. Police stated that the car was stopped and it was determined that the passenger, Matthew Smith of Locust Valley, was the driver of the wrecked car; he told police that he called his friend to pick him up.

Sgt. Fitzpatrick said police at the scene reported that Mr. Smith had no injuries that were apparent, but that he was taken directly to the hospital to be evaluated. He was checked out and released back into police custody the same night, said the sergeant, then charged with driving while intoxicated and arraigned in Glen Cove City Court.