Cops: Memorial Day weekend checkpoints lead to seven arrests

Riverhead Police sent out a warning on Friday that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s “DWI task Force” would be setting up checkpoints in town over the Memorial Day weekend, but seven people were still arrested at those checkpoints Saturday night.

Arrested Saturday night at checkpoints in Riverhead Town were the following: Francisco Sabin, 36, of Sound Avenue in Riverhead, for DWI; Pedro Garcia, 30, of Front Street in Greenport, for DWI; Peter Helsinki, 18, of Middle Road in Cutchogue, for driving under the influence of drugs and unlawful possession of marijuana; Matthew Larson, 35, of Town Harbor Lane in Southold, for DWI; Shane Hands, 20, of Hillcrest Drive in Orient, for driving under the influence of drugs and unlawful possession of marijuana; James Hinch, 37, of Sweetbury Hill in Center Moriches, for DWI; and Alisa Raspanjini, 30, of Quaker Hill Path in Huntington, for driving while ability impaired.

Police say additional enforcement actions of this type can be expected in the future.

The Task Force was established by District Attorney Tom Spota last year and consists of officers from departments in the Riverhead Town, Southold Town, Shelter Island Town, Suffolk County, and New York State police departments.