Ameer-Humza Malik, a 29-year-old software engineer from Latham, N.Y., appeared in East Hampton Town Justice Court last week for the first time since his arraignment in July on a lengthy list of charges, including a felony, six misdemeanors, and 91 traffic infractions.
Most of the charges stem from an incident on May 25, when Mr. Malik allegedly fled from a town police officer who was conducting a traffic stop on Montauk Highway in Amagansett, near the Cranberry Hole Road bridge.
According to court documents, the officer activated his lights to initiate a traffic stop, which the defendant ignored, fleeing in a gray Mercedes S.U.V. at 30 miles over the speed limit, according to the pursuing officer, crossing over double yellow lines into the oncoming lane, and unsafely passing multiple vehicles both to his left and his right.
The officer followed him to the beachhead at the end of Springs-Fireplace Road and exited the cruiser, which had both its lights and sirens activated, trying once more to stop the Mercedes. Mr. Malik again refused to comply, and reportedly “narrowly missed” striking the officer as he fled. The officer did not follow, due to safety concerns for both the officer and the public, according to the police report.
Later that day, according to a story in Newsday, which reportedly received the information from Town Police Capt. Greg Martin, the officer discovered the car abandoned at an unspecified location, and it was impounded. A search of the S.U.V., which was conducted at town police headquarters in Wainscott on July 3, recovered two clear plastic bags in the glove compartment, containing a white powdery substance that later tested positive for cocaine.
Mr. Malik, facing a felony charge of criminal possession of a controlled substance, turned himself in the week after the search, and was arraigned in East Hampton Town Court on July 9 before Justice David Filer. He was ordered to return to court on Aug. 27, and did, appearing alongside an attorney, Mitchell Elman.
The prosecutor, an assistant district attorney from the Suffolk County D.A.’s office, stated that a plea bargain had been discussed, but that the D.A. was not prepared to offer the defendant any sort of deal yet.
Mr. Elman, who practices out of an office in Great Neck, requested a virtual date for his client’s next appearance. Justice Filer granted it, scheduling it for Oct. 9 and directing that Mr. Malik continue his court-ordered post-release supervision.
