Hummer in Road Rage

Alleged road rage at the intersection of Newtown and Cooper Lanes in East Hampton Village Tuesday evening resulted in a crash and an arrest, according to village police, who charged Braulio Camilo Padillo-Romero, a 28-year-old East Hampton resident, with criminal mischief as a D felony and with two misdemeanors, reckless endangerment and reckless driving, as well as a violation for an allegedly illegal lane change.

Mr. Padillo-Romero had been behind the wheel of a 2006 Hummer, police said, on Cooper Lane. Jonathan Llivicota-Otabalo was driving a smaller SUV in front of the Hummer. According to Rudy Migliore Jr., an attorney with the Suffolk County district attorney’s office who was at Mr. Padillo-Romero’s arraignment yesterday, the defendant swung his Hummer into the side of the other vehicle, forcing it off the road. The car hopped the curb, ran over a street sign, and struck a utility pole. 

Matt D’Amato, a Legal Aid attorney representing Mr. Padillo-Romero, pointed out to East Hampton Town Justice Steven Tekulsky during the arraignment that there were no serious injuries reported. Mr. Llivicota-Otabalo’s vehicle did not fare so well. Police said there appeared to be $1,500 or more in damage.

Mr. Migliore asked that bail be set at $5,000, citing the seriousness of the charges. Mr. D’Amato argued that Mr. Padillo-Romero has lived in East Hampton for eight years and has one child, with another on the way. Justice Tekulsky agreed to $1,000 as fair bail. 

The incident may have resulted from both men having an interest in the same woman, according to statements made in court. After bail was set, Mr. D’Amato looked back at a young woman in the back row of the court, asking if she would post it. She said she would, and Mr. Padillo-Romero was soon free, with a future date on Justice Tekulsky’s criminal calendar.