A 40-year-old man is said to have accelerated to speeds as high as 80 mph to evade police and avoid a drunk driving citation during the early morning hours of July 15. The incident took place in Suffolk County at approximately 2:32 a.m. according to the East Hampton Town Police Department. The man has been charged with a third-degree misdemeanor count of fleeing a police officer and driving while intoxicated. Media reports indicate that he was subsequently released on his own recognizance.
Police say that the man was struggling to stay in his lane as his vehicle traveled northbound on Springs Fireplace Road in East Hampton at approximately 72 mph. The posted speed limit in the area is 40 mph according to reports. However, when police signaled the man to pull over, officers say that he instead accelerated away in an apparent attempt to flee the scene.
The man’s vehicle was stopped in the vicinity of Harrison Avenue after a brief pursuit, and officers claim that he was unsteady on his feet and showed clear signs of intoxication when he exited his vehicle. Officers claim that the man’s speech was slurred, his eyes were glassy and bloodshot and they detected the odor of alcohol on his breath. He was taken into custody after allegedly failing a series of standardized field sobriety exercises.
While the consequences of a drunk driving conviction can be severe in New York, experienced criminal defense attorneys may urge their clients to cooperate with police and resist the impulse to flee when signaled to pull over. Most criminal cases are settled with plea agreements, and it could be difficult for defense attorneys to secure lenient treatment for defendants who acted belligerently or recklessly when confronted by police officers.
