Bad Week for Springs Drivers

Unable to make bail of $10,000, a Springs man charged with felony drunken driving has been in the county jail since Saturday.

East Hampton Town police said they stopped Luis A. Yamba-Tenezaca, 24, shortly before midnight Friday for speeding and tailgating. The officer who pulled him over on Springs-Fireplace Road in Springs reported seeing several empty beer bottles in his 2006 Audi.

Back at Wainscott headquarters, a breath test produced a reading of .14, well over the .08 number that defines intoxication.

At his arraignment Saturday morning, East Hampton Town Justice Steven Tekulsky told the man that, with an August 2015 conviction for driving while intoxicated, he now faced felony charges. “That prior D.W.I. charge was before me. Do you remember that? Not a year and a half ago,” Justice Tekulsky said.

He reminded Mr. Yamba-Tenezaca that he had suspended his license after that arrest, and told him that because it was never restored he now faced an additional felony charge of unlicensed driving. Justice Tekulsky also recalled imposing a sentence of three years probation, and warned Mr. Yamba-Tenezaca that he might be found to have violated its terms.

Bail was set at $10,000. Several of the defendant’s family members were in the courtroom, and told the court they would try to raise the money, but as of yesterday Mr. Yamba-Tenezaca remained in jail.

The new D.W.I. charge will be adjudicated in county court should the district attorney’s office obtain an indictment. It has until the end of business today to do so, or Mr. Yamba-Tenezaca will be freed, under state law, to await further proceedings.

Another Springs man arrested over the weekend on a D.W.I. charge was Juan E. Mejia-Lopez, 38, whose 2004 Ford almost hit a skateboarder on the shoulder of Three Mile Harbor Road Saturday night as it swerved across the road, police said. The arresting officer reported that the driver had given his name as Roberto Luis Carias, and had persisted in falsely identifying himself despite being warned against it. At headquarters, his breath test reading was reported to be .15.

Mr. Mejia-Lopez was arraigned Sunday morning on misdemeanor charges of drunken driving and false personation. Bail was set at $500, which was posted by his brother.

Another Springs driver charged with misdemeanor D.W.I. over the weekend was Rubin Gallegos-Lopez, 39, whose 2003 Chevrolet was stopped Sunday night on Oakview Highway in East Hampton. Town police said it had swerved into the oncoming lane and partially sideswiped another car. No injuries were reported.

Mr. Gallegos-Lopez refused to take the breath test at headquarters. Bail was set at $500 Monday morning and posted.