Crime & Safety

Police Chase Ends When Alleged Drunken Driver Crashes into Tree

The following information was supplied by the East Hampton Town Police Department. A criminal charge is only an accusation and does not indicate guilt.

A drunken driver with a passenger in the car led police on a chase before crashing on March 3, according to .

Police said Christian M. Campoverde Lucero, who has since turned 33, was speeding in a 2000 Mazda MPV while going north on Springs-Fireplace Road, near Fort Pond Boulevard, in Springs at about 9:30 p.m. The officer activated his lights and sirens in an attempt to pull the vehicle over, but the defendant allegedly continued on, "at a high rate of speed and in a reckless manner," according to the arrest report.

He made a left hand turn onto Hog Creek Road, where he continued on until pulling over near Locust Drive, police said. When police approached the vehicle, the driver took off, again, causing the officer to fall down on the pavement.

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The officer radioed to police dispatchers that the driver fled west on Hog Creek Road, toward Three Mile Harbor Road, and that he was possibly intoxicated. The officer got back to his car and pursued the car that was now speeding and swerving into the opposite lane, causing passing motorists to swerve off the road. This continued on Fort Pond Boulevard.

The driver than turned left on Florence Street, and then onto Washington Street, where the driver lives. 

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That's when police said he lost control of the mini-van, hit a tree and caused the airbag to deploy on the driver's and passenger's side. They both got out of the car, but the passenger was injured.

Emergency medical technicians checked them out at the scene, but the driver reportedly refused to be transported to Southampton Hospital. The 38-year-old passenger was transported.

The driver was arrested at 10:30 p.m. and charged with aggravated DWI, DWI, third-degree fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, and reckless driving, all of which are misdemeanors.

Campoverde Lucero was held overnight and arraigned in the next day. Justice Catherine A. Cahill released him on $1,000 bail.


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