Almost all contested cases in East Hampton Town Justice Court are settled by plea bargain, whether they involve a traffic ticket or a serious criminal charge where jail time is in the offing. In the latter case, the process is a delicate one that can go awry, as has happened twice in recent weeks.

Carlos A. Guaman of Springs, 37, was arrested on May 31 and again on Aug. 17 on misdemeanor charges of drunken driving. His blood-alcohol count was high enough in the August incident, according to East Hampton Town police, that the charge was raised to the “aggravated” level.

Despite the holiday weekend, local police corralled a relatively small number of drivers to charge with drunken driving. Tyler S. Sizse, 20, of Montauk, was one of them. He was driving north on Essex Street there early Sunday morning, on what he told police was his way home from the Memory Motel, when he failed to negotiate a turn onto South Fairview Avenue. The 2002 Hyundai he was driving wound up with extensive front-end damage, but Mr. Sizse was able to walk away unhurt.

“I had four beers at the Memory,” he told police.

Amagansett



A Thule bicycle rack was stolen from a Toyota parked on Leeton Road last week. Maureen McCabe-Hamel told police the rack disappeared in the overnight hours of Aug. 19.



East Hampton



The parent of a student attending summer classes at East Hampton High School reported her son’s black mountain bicycle with red lettering stolen on July 22. The boy was in class at the time.

East Hampton Village

An early-morning dispute on Aug. 25 between a cab driver and his boss became heated when the cabby’s passengers joined in. Police arrived and were told that the employer was “bullying” his driver. The driver denied it, the passengers paid the fare and went their way, and cabby and boss both returned to work.

A bicycle valued at $400 was stolen from the Main Beach bike rack on Aug. 23.

Police cited a Melville man Saturday evening for illegal peddling at Main Beach, during the holiday fireworks.