DWI Dragnet Yields 17 Arrests

The was out in force in the Town of East Hampton on Saturday night, making 17 arrests.

A multi-agency effort, similar to the East End Drug Task Force, it aims to crack down on those driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The initiative began Memorial Day weekend with officers traveling across the North and South Forks, using a team approach to locate drunken drivers, often through road blocks. The stepped-up enforcement effort was dubbed "Operation NiteCAP."

was busier than usual on Sunday morning, with attorneys conferencing with new clients, concerned family members trying to figure out which police department they should bring bail money to, and village and town police officers shuffling around defendants, handcuffed and still wearing Hamptons evening-wear.

One by one, the defendants — 7 women and 10 men — faced the judge for arraignment. The whole process took nearly three hours, though Justice Catherine A. Cahill and justice court clerk Jennifer Anderson had been there a few hours earlier to prepare paperwork.

Everyone indicated they would make bail, except for William X. Anguisaca-Garcia, 22, of East Hampton, whose bail was set at $5,000 cash or $25,000 bond.

Anguisaca-Garcia appeared in the same court room just two weeks ago to plead guilty to a reduced charge of driving while ability impaired related to an April arrest. His plea arrangement included a license suspension, but Saturday night he was caught behind the wheel and allegedly under the influence of alcohol.

Police charged him with felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, for driving with a suspended license, and DWI, as well as reckless driving. Officers also claim he resisted arrest, adding another misdemeanor charge, to the tally.

East Hampton attorney , who was called to court for one client and ended up representing several others, asked the judge to consider $2,500 bail, after speaking to Anguisaca-Garcia's family about not being able to post $5,000 bail.

"I'm concerned about the fact that he has not shown any regard for the judicial process," Cahill said, sticking to the higher bail.

With the help of a Spanish interpreter, Cahill explained to Anguisaca-Garcia. "For many different reasons, you understand, you absolutely, positively cannot operate a motor vehicle in the state of New York?" He said he understood.

The rest of the drivers arrested also had their driving privileges in New York suspended and their bail was set between $200 and $350 cash.

One woman, Jasmine Malone, of East Hampton, was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor, for allegedly having a blood alcohol level at .24 — three times the legal limit of .08. She was released on $250 bail.

Thirteen other drivers were charged simply with misdemeanor DWI. Some also were ticketed for traffic infractions.

They were: Frank Hanna Sr., 50, of East Hampton; Pierre Demsey, of East Hampton; Kiril P. Tscherveniachki, of East Hampton; and Meredith J. Linnehan, 27, of East Hampton; Monica N. Quiros, 34, of, North Paladin, N.J.; Andrew E. Fisch, Vitaly Aranovich, Joseph Labita, Rachel M. Gering, 43, all of New York City; Mark R. Roskams, of New York City and Miami; Francois Belizaire, of Upper Montclair, N.J.; Matthew A. Creedon, 25, of Bayville; and Nicole M. Valmorbida, 32, of Southampton.

Michelle Horovitz, 30, of Staten Island, was charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol, a violation.

There was also one arrest on the water. Tammy C. Comstock, 45, of West Kingston, R.I., was charged with operating a vessel while impaired, reckless operation, speeding and having no lights on a power boat. Her privledge to operate a boat in New York was suspended. She was released on $350 cash bail.

Justice Cahill had the same messages for the defendants: "Be smart. Don't make a bad situation worse," she said to one defendant after his license was suspended.

Most of the defendants are due back in court on Oct. 25.

An 18th defendant was arraigned on Sunday morning, but it was not related to the DWI Task Force.

A correction was made to the charge brought against Michelle Horovitz. It is a violation, not a misdemeanor.