Appearance in Two Courts

Mary N. Nikaido of Hackensack, N.J., 34, was westbound in downtown Montauk early Sunday morning when East Hampton Town police pulled her over, saying she had been swerving across lane lines. Back at headquarters in Wainscott, her breath test produced a reading of .08, just high enough to trigger a misdemeanor charge of driving while intoxicated. When police searched her purse, they reported finding tablets of amphetamine and an amphetamine derivative, leading to additional misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance. 

Later that morning, upon arriving at East Hampton Town Justice Court for her arraignment, an officer opened the back door of the police van and held out his hand to assist the handcuffed Ms. Nikaido to make the long step down to the pavement. She declined, he said, calling him a “hillbilly.” Before she was taken into the courtroom, her “weekend lawyer,” Daniel A. Russo, on hand to represent defendants as part of a county program, told Justice Steven Tekulsky that she was not being fully cooperative with him. 

According to court records available online, Ms. Nikaido was arrested in Manhattan in February 2016 on misdemeanor charges of D.W.I. and driving under the influence of drugs. The case was adjourned several times and could be headed for trial; her next date in the New York Criminal Court building is Sept. 18, 

When it came time for Justice Tekulsky to set bail, Mr. Russo argued that the woman had never been convicted of a crime, and asked that a nominal amount be set. Justice Tekulsky, however, pointed out the open case in the city, noting also that three warrants had been issued in that matter for failures to appear. He set bail at $1,000, which she later posted at police headquarters. 

Her next appearance in East Hampton Justice Court is scheduled for Sept. 21, three days after she is to appear in the Manhattan courtroom.

Also arraigned Sunday morning on a misdemeanor D.W.I. charge was Richard C. Filonuk, 30, of Greenlawn. He too was stopped at night in downtown Montauk, police alleging that his 2007 Toyota had no headlights. Because he refused to take a breath test at headquarters, Justice Tekulsky imposed a yearlong suspension of his driver’s license. He was released after posting $250 bail. 

Ursula N. DelJanin of Manhattan, 42, was stopped by Sag Harbor police early Saturday morning. Her 2007 Chrysler was driving the wrong way, they said, on the one-way section of Washington Street near the Division Street intersection. Her breath test at headquarters reportedly exceeded the .18 mark, triggering an aggravated misdemeanor charge of drunken driving. She posted $350 bail later Saturday. 

There were two misdemeanor D.W.I. arraignments in East Hampton last Thursday. Jorge H. Chavez’s 2000 Honda was stopped in the middle of North Main Street near Cedar Street, obstructing traffic, according to town police, who also reported that he failed field sobriety tests. His .17 breath test was just below the aggravated level. The East Hampton man, 40, was released without bail.

Ryan James Flynn, 24, of Scarsdale, N.Y., was pulled over early that morning after police reportedly clocked his 2013 Honda on East Lake Drive in Montauk at 51 miles per hour in a 30- m.p.h. zone. They also reported seeing him swerve and make an unsafe turn while failing to signal. He told the court he vacations one week a year in Montauk with his family. He allegedly refused a breath test, and his license was suspended. He was released on $500 bail to his parents, who were in the courtroom. 

Another man arrested recently in Montauk and charged with D.W.I. was Rey R. Rodriguez, 23, of Manhattan, whose 2017 Nissan had no lights, according to police, when they stopped it just before midnight on Aug. 22 near Carl Fisher Plaza. Bail was set and posted the next morning at $750.

Jackson Rafferty, 19, of Springs, was arrested following a traffic accident Monday night on Old Stone Highway in Springs, in which his 2004 Subaru rear-ended a pickup truck. “I thought he was turning,” he told police, adding that he had had two beers. The driver of the truck left the scene before police arrived. 

The young man was charged with D.W.I. after police said they obtained a .09 breath test reading, and additionally with possession of a concentrated marijuana derivative. He was released Tuesday to his parents, without bail.