Cabbie on crack causes crash, cops say

A cabbie from Riverhead allegedly driving high on crack cocaine, ran a red light Wednesday afternoon in Flanders, causing a three-car crash that sent him and another person to an area hospital, authorities said.

Southampton Town Police said 45-year-old Louis Mannino of East Main Street, who was driving a taxi without any passengers, ran the light near the intersection of County Road 105 and Flanders Road about 3:30 p.m., causing the accident.

Mr. Mannino had a crack pipe on him and admitted to smoking crack cocaine earlier in the day, police charged. He and a passenger in one of the other cars were taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center, where they were treated for minor injuries and released.

Police did not release the identities of the other drivers or passengers involved.

After his release from the hospital, Mr. Mannino was taken to Southampton police headquarters and charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

* Frantz Orcel, 28, whose address is listed as the homeless sex offender trailer on the county jail property in Riverside, was charged with failure to report a change of address Saturday afternoon at Southampton police headquarters.

Mr. Orcel headed to headquarters to complete his sex offender address verification paperwork as required by state law, and was subsequently arrested on a warrant for not notifying police of his address change within 10 days, officials said.

He is considered a Level 3 sex offender because of a 2005 conviction for forcible touching, involving two girls, ages 15 and 17, according to the state’s sex offender registry.

He was arraigned in Southampton Justice Court and released on $500 bail, police said.

* Enrique Gonzalez, 31, who was also living at the sex offender trailer, was charged with failing to report a change of address last Wednesday, police said. He was picked up at the trailer on a warrant for failure to register as a sex offender and then taken to police headquarters for booking, according to police. Additional information was not available.

* Joe McKay, 63, of Pine Street in Riverside was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana Friday night on Flanders Road in Riverside, where he was found in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana, according to police.

* A 17-year-old Riverhead woman reported being punched in the head by another woman during a dispute last Monday night on Kirk Avenue in Flanders. The victim was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center for treatment of discomfort and swelling, police said.

* Frank Jefferson, 25, of Wildwood Trail in Northampton was charged with criminal contempt at police headquarters after he violated a court order of protection on July 14, police said.

* Danielle Hall, 30, of Ludlam Avenue in Riverside was picked up on a bench warrant for failure to appear in court last Wednesday with regard to prior assault and harassment charges, police said.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.