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Man Faces Up to Life in Prison for Injuring Officer During Car Chase

By Nicholas Rizzi | December 4, 2015 2:03pm | Updated on December 7, 2015 8:59am
 Clinton James, 35, faces up to 22 years to life in jail after he was convicted of criminal possession of a weapon, assault and reckless endangerment after he injured an NYPD officer in 2013.
Clinton James, 35, faces up to 22 years to life in jail after he was convicted of criminal possession of a weapon, assault and reckless endangerment after he injured an NYPD officer in 2013.
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Staten Island District Attorney's Office

STATEN ISLAND — A man who injured an NYPD officer after leading police on a wild chase in 2013 faces up to 22 years to life behind bars after being convicted, Acting District Attorney Daniel Master Jr. announced.

Clinton James, 35, was found guilty of criminal possession of a weapon, assault and reckless endangerment on Thursday after a seven-week trial, Master said.

"Clinton James is a previously convicted violent felon whose dangerous conduct both broke the law and showed a clear disregard for the safety of innocent pedestrians,” Master said in a statement.

“James not only illegally possessed a loaded .44 Magnum Taurus firearm, but he also used his automobile as a weapon to assault a police officer and prevent that officer and other NYPD Gang Squad members from arresting him."

On March 9, 2013, members of the Staten Island Gang Squad intercepted phone calls that James planned to buy a gun from Damon Scott Brannon and the two agreed to meet on Laguardia Avenue, prosecutors said.

After spotting James leaving Brannon's car and tucking a firearm in his waistband, officers tried to pull him over at the stoplight on Schmidta Lane and Slosson Avenue but James jumped the curb and sped away at about 1:15 p.m.

Officers attempted to arrest him when he got stuck in traffic at Manor Road and North Gannon Avenue, but James rammed his Toyota Camry into other vehicles, pinning Det. Dennis Maira between two and then dragging him with his car, prosecutors said.

Maira's partner, Det. John Fahim, approached James' car and saw he was pointing a gun at Maira. Fahim yelled "gun" and fired three shots, hitting James in the stomach.

James sped away, crashing into more cars and eventually hitting a utility pole at North Gannon Avenue and Ganservoort Boulevard, which caused his Camry to flip over, prosecutors said. 

James fled on foot but was eventually arrested and officers recovered the loaded .44-caliber revolver from the car.

Maira had surgery to his shoulder and his injuries forced him to retire from the NYPD, the DA said.

James has a long criminal record and was also arrested in 2013 as part of a large drug and gun bust in Staten Island.

He's scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2016.