Cops: Utility Bill Beef Taken Out on Cellphone

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

Drinking and Driving Charges

• Javier Cordova, 25, of Bellport, was arrested after police said he drove under the influence of alcohol and without a proper license. Police said that Cordova was following another vehicle too closely as he traveled west on Montauk Highway, near Cove Hollow Road, in East Hampton on Feb. 16 at about 4 a.m. He appeared intoxicated. Though he wasn't properly identified until he was back at headquarters, a check with the State Department of Motor Vehicles revealed his driving privileges had been suspended four times, including suspensions that were related to previous drunken driving arrests. He was charged with driving while ability impaired, a violation, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first-degree, a felony. He was released on $100 station house bail. His vehicle was not impounded as it had already been driven back by a friend when police discovered his previous arrests, a report said.

• Austin A. Eckardt, 26, of East Hampton, was arrested on a misdemeanor DWI charge on Friday evening in Montauk. Police said Eckardt's 2001 Ford Escape only had one working headlight as he travelled on West Lake Drive at about 10:30 p.m. When he was pulled over, he not only appeared drunk, but police spotted empty bottles of Bud Light beer on the back seat. Held overnight for arraignment, he was released on his own recognizance the next morning.

• Ashley M. Keyser, 19, of East Hampton, was also arrested on a misdemeanor DWI charge on Saturday at about 1:45 a.m. She was pulled over on Red Dirt Road, near Accabonac Road, where she was allegedly seen swerving in a pick up truck. Police said she appeared intoxicated. At headquarters, she refused to take a breath test, and was held overnight for arraignment. She was also released on her own recognizance.

Southold Man Arrested on Misdemeanor Marijuana Charge

• Victor E. Perez, 20, of Southold, was arrested on a criminal possession of marijuana charge, a misdemeanor, during a traffic stop in East Hampton on March 5. Police said they saw a Dodge Durango traveling south on Springs Fireplace Road with multiple items hanging from the rear view mirror, as well as a large number of boxes in the back that were obstructing his view. He was pulled over on Three Mile Harbor Road, and police said they smelled marijuana coming from inside the SUV. The driver, and the three passenger in the vehicle, appeared nervous and couldn't provide police with an explanation for being in the area. A bag of marijuana was found in the vehicle, and the other occupants pointed a finger at Perez, who was a passenger. Two more small bags of marijuana were found in his pants' pocket. All of the marijuana weighed more than two ounces, but less than eight, according to the charge. Perez was released on $100 station house bail.

Fight Over a Bill

• Orlando Roberts, 31, of Montauk, is being held on $5,000 cash bail and $50,000 bond following a dispute over a utility bill on March 4. When police arrived at about noon, they said Roberts was "highly agitated and combative." He was standing by a car on West Lake Drive arguing with the other man when he smacked a cellphone out of the man's hands and then picked it up and broke it in half. The man wanted to press charges and sought an Order of Protection. Roberts was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, a misdemeanor, and second-degree harassment, a violation. East Hampton Town Justice Catherine A. Cahill arraigned him the following day and he was turned over to the Suffolk County Sheriff's office in lieu of bail .

2012 'Bad Check'

• Derek A. Sloan, 50, of Sag Harbor, was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of issuing a bad check on Saturday. Detectives investigated a 2012 check that had been returned for insufficient funds. Sloan reportedly failed to make restitution. It was not clear how much the check had been for. He was released on his own recognizance and will be arraigned at a later date.