Three Drunken Driving Charges, Three Ford F-150s

East Hampton Town police made three arrests last weekend on misdemeanor drunken driving charges. All three men arrested were driving Ford F-150 pickups, of different vintages, and all three were headed west on Montauk Highway.

Terence P. McCulley, 54, of Wainscott, was driving a 2016 F-150 on Montauk Highway in Amagansett late Friday night, near its intersection with Abraham’s Path, when he veered to his right, crossing the shoulder and driving onto the grass, nearly striking a utility pole, police said. The truck then allegedly veered back onto the road and crossed over the double yellow lines, at which point a traffic stop was made.

The officer who pulled him over reported that Mr. McCulley smelled of alcohol and failed roadside sobriety tests. He admitted drinking to the arresting officer, saying, “I had one beer and two drinks, a Crown Royal and Coke,” according to the police. He was arrested.

At police headquarters, Mr. McCulley’s breath test produced an alleged reading of .21 of 1 percent, a level that triggered a raised charge of aggravated driving while intoxicated. While still a misdemeanor, aggravated drunken driving is given greater weight by the courts and the district attorney’s office, which rarely plea-bargains down from such a charge.

Mr. McCulley was represented during his Saturday morning arraignment by Brian DeSesa, who told the court that Mr. McCulley has owned his Wainscott residence for 17 years and is the owner of a beverage distribution business. In recognition of his ties to the community, East Hampton Town Justice Steven Tekulsky released him without bail, but not before suspending his driver’s license.

Under New York State Liquor Authority regulations, as a licensed dealer in the state, Mr. McCulley will have to keep the authority informed of his legal situation, according to the S.L.A. website.

The driver of another westbound Ford F-150, this one built in 2015, was arrested the same night, Friday. Police say Benjamin E. Selby, 37, of Amagansett was observed swerving across lane lines and failed to signal a turn before he was stopped on Montauk Highway near Second House Road in Montauk. It appears from his comments to the arresting officer that he may have also passed a vehicle before being pulled over. He is quoted as saying “I’m sorry I passed that guy, but I am not drunk.”

His alleged breath test reading at headquarters of .13 exceeded the .08 percentage that defines intoxication in New York State. 

He, too, was released the next morning without bail. 

Finally, an East Hampton man at the wheel of a 2003 Ford F-150 was arrested Saturday night. Police said Clint A. Bennett, 60, swerved across the double yellow lines on Pantigo Road, entering the lane of oncoming traffic, before he was stopped. His breath test was recorded at .17, just missing the .18 mark that would have raised the charge to the aggravated level. “I had one or two beers at the Legion,” he allegedly told police, referring to the American Legion Post. 

He, too, was released without bail, but with a future date on Justice Tekulsky’s criminal calendar.

Sag Harbor Village police arrested Robert A. Ward, 31, early last Thursday morning. Police said the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee he was driving south on Main Street swerved across the double yellow lines and into the oncoming lane of traffic “five times.” 

At police headquarters on Division Street, his breath test produced a reading of .11. The Sag Harbor Village resident was released without bail later that morning.