Arrested on Way to Court

Michael T. Dolson of Sound Beach, 42, was on his way to East Hampton Town Justice Court shortly after 10 a.m. last Thursday in connection with a June 2015 drunken-driving charge when police noticed an expired inspection sticker on his 2014 Honda and pulled him over, on Montauk Highway yards away from the courthouse. He wound up under arrest, charged with unlicensed driving.

In satisfaction of the 2015 charge, which also involved driving without a license, Mr. Dolson’s Legal Aid attorney, Brian Francese, had arranged for him to perform 21 hours of community service, in return for which the misdemeanor charges would be reduced to simple violations and he would walk away without a criminal record. Mr. Dolson was bringing to court a letter from Pax Christi Hospital in Port Jefferson, stating that he had completed his 21 hours.

Instead, he found himself in handcuffs, being arraigned on the new charge by Justice Steven Tekulsky, as he was last June.

“What little credit you get,” Justice Tekulsky told him, “is that you were headed for your court date.” He dismissed the arrangement with the District Attorney’s office, saying that “that deal doesn’t exist. It is hard to fathom how someone before the court on that charge would continue to drive.”

Mr. Francese argued for nominal bail to be set, saying, “He completed community service.”

“That’s not happening,” Justice Tekulsky responded. He set bail at $1,000, which was posted.

At about the same time as Mr. Dolson’s arrest, about 200 yards to the west, village police stopped Henry Olson Francis of Coram and Mineola, 27, driving a 2008 Jeep. He too had an expired sticker, according to the report.

Mr. Francis was charged with felony unlicensed driving after a computer check revealed that his license had been suspended no fewer than 18 times. His employer was there, and posted the $1,000 bail set by Justice Tekulsky.