Crimes Nearby: Driver Strikes Pedestrian, Flees Southampton Scene

The following information was supplied by various town police departments. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate guilt.

Riverhead

• A homeless woman who refused to leave the hospital was arrested and charged with trespassing and resisting arrest Saturday, Riverhead police said. Jennifer Sulzer, 37, who is undomiciled, was arrested at Peconic Bay Medical Center at 9:43 a.m. after she allegedly refused to leave after being discharged. Police said officers came and attempted to remove her from the scene, but she resisted. Sulzer was arrested and charged with trespassing and resisting arrest. She was arraigned and is being held at the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in lieu of $500 bail.

• An Aquebogue man stands charged with reckless driving and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, both misdemeanors, after New York State Police said he was involved in an accident early Monday afternoon that killed two Nassau County men.

The accident occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. on the Meadowbrook Parkway, shutting down the busy roadway for over six hours as police conducted investigations.

According to police, 50-year-old Robert Beodeker was driving a GMC pick-up truck south, near the Southern State Parkway, when he struck a Nissan Maxima which had become disabled and stopped in hazard markings.

Both 76-year-old John Elder, of Freeport, and Edward Ross, 65, of North Bellmore, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Westhampton-Hampton Bays

• A 21-year-old Brentwood man allegedly got caught with drugs after he chucked a pet carrier in a parking lot. According to Westhampton Beach police, after James Torres tossed the carrier in the Valero parking lot at the corner of Riverhead Road and Montauk Highway on Feb. 27 at 9:42 p.m., police pulled him over. In his car police said they found a switch blade, hash — which the man first told police was Tiger Balm for his back, they said — a bong wrapped in a bag, and marijuana. He was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor, littering, a violation, and criminal possession of marijuana, also a violation.

• The Westhampton Beach School District is investigating an allegation against a Westhampton Beach Middle School staff member made by several students.

According to Mike Radday, school superintendent, as soon as the district was made aware of the allegations an investigation was launched and the Westhampton Beach Police Department contacted.

Detective Ed Hamor confirmed that the incident, which was brought to police attention on Monday, is being investigated, but said he could not provide much information since it is early in the investigation. He did say; however, that the incident involved a male teacher and took place in the girl's locker room.

• A Southampton man, who police said was carrying cocaine on March 3, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a felony. Carl Runyon, 54, who was pulled over for various traffic violations on Ponquogue Avenue in Hampton Bays, was also charged with DWI, a misdemeanor and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

• A pair of burglars were caught after the driver of the getaway car crashed into a barrier on the Beach Lane Bridge, Quogue police said.

According to police, the duo were leaving the scene of burglary on Dune Road on Saturday when a Westhampton Beach officer, who was called into assist in the investigation, spotted the getaway car.

The officer turned around to follow the car only to find it minutes later smashed into the bridge. The driver, Diego Molina, 20, of East Quogue was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and handled over to Quogue police along with his passenger.

Quogue police slapped Molina with a felony charge of burglary, along with charges of criminal mischief in the second degree, a felony; criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor; and possession of burglar tools, a misdemeanor.

His passenger, Brendan Hennessey, 21 of East Quogue, was also charged with burglary in the second degree, a felony; criminal trespassing, a misdemeanor; and possession of burglar tools, also a misdemeanor.

Southampton

• After responding to a 911 call from Elm Street on Thursday night, Southampton Village police found an East Hampton woman "bleeding profusely" from her arm and hand — and eventually charged her with a felony. Det. Sgt. Herman Lamison said Friday that prior to the 911 call at 7:46 p.m., the woman, 23-year-old Amanda M. Re, and her boyfriend had been arguing at his home, and the situation escalated. At one point, Re was locked outside the house, and she sustained lacerations when she broke a glass window to get back inside, Lamison said. Lamison said Re chased her boyfriend with a kitchen knife, and the boyfriend told police that he barricaded himself in a room to avoid further confrontation. Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance took Re to Southampton Hospital. The boyfriend was uninjured, Lamison said. Re was charged with third-degree criminal mischief, a felony, and second-degree menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, both misdemeanors, as well as unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

• A Southampton man who struck a pedestrian with his 2001 GM Jimmy on Thursday and did not stop to help the victim was located later that night and arrested, Southampton Village police said. According to police, a 911 call reporting the accident on Hillcrest Avenue came in at 9:21 p.m. and officers arrived to the scene to find a man lying in the street with abrasions to his head and arms. The victim and an eyewitness gave officers information that led them to locate the driver, 30-year-old Damario Braunskill, a resident of the Hillcrest neighborhood, Det. Sgt. Herman Lamison said. Braunskill was charged with leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation. His GM Jimmy was impounded, police said. The victim was taken by Southampton Village Volunteer Ambulance to Southampton Hospital, where he was treated and released, according to police.

• Dandy Palomino, 30, of Southampton, was caught with hallucinogenic mushrooms in his glovebox on March 1, Southampton Town police said. Palomino was pulled over on Tuckahoe Road for a traffic infraction and upon investigation, they found the mushrooms, police said. Palomino was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third and fourth degrees, both felonies.

• A Southampton man, whom Southampton Town police said was carrying cocaine on March 3, was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, a felony. Carl Runyon, 54, who was pulled over for various traffic violations on Ponquogue Avenue in Hampton Bays, was also charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation, police said.

• While on patrol in the area of Sagaponack Road, a Southampton Town police officer reported that he came across a 1983 Porsche convertible off the roadway and in-between shrubs and trees. The license plate on the Porsche did not correspond to the vehicle’s registration. Police said they have been unable to locate the owner of the car, which has been impounded.

East Hampton

• Harry A. Pena-Reyes, 27, of Springs, was held on $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond after he was picked up on a felony aggravated driving while intoxicated charge, due to a prior conviction and a high blood alcohol level, in Springs on Feb. 28.

Police said they initially spotted Pena-Reyes' vehicle at the intersection of Three Mile Harbor-Hog Creek Road and Folkstone Drive going 55 mph in a 35 mph zone at about 2 a.m. According to police, the vehicle "partially left the roadway and crossed into the opposite lane of travel," before making a left turn onto Richardson Avenue.

Police turned on their lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, but Pena-Reyes did not stop, instead driving in the opposite lane of travel. He made a left onto Mary Street — where he lives — while continuing to ignore the police sirens. He drove to the end of Mary Street and stopped in a driveway. Police walked over to the vehicle, and they said he appeared drunk.

He failed all field sobriety tests and was taken to headquarters. Police said he was previously convicted of DWI in East Hampton Town Justice Court on Oct. 14, 2010. His vehicle was impounded due to Suffolk County Seizure Law. His blood alcohol level was also above .18, police said.

East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana arraigned him. Unable to post bail, he was turned over to Suffolk County Sheriff's office.