Cops: Riverhead man caught speeding, driving drunk after fleeing accident

A 35-year-old man without a drivers license was arrested for driving while intoxicated after he hit a parked car and fled from the scene in Riverside early Sunday, Southampton Town police said.

Ayala Inocente of Riverhead got into an accident near Lake Avenue in Riverside about 1:55 a.m. and was speeding while fleeing the scene when he was stopped by police, according to a police statement.

Police found he was intoxicated and arrested him. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash he was fleeing from.

Mr. Inocente was charged with misdemeanor DWI, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, unlicensed operation, and unreasonable speed, all violation, police said.

Prosecutors and law enforcement have pushed for harsher penalties for those who flee the scenes of accidents, saying that current laws allow those who run from the scenes involving fatalities or injuries to escape more serious charges.