Police

Riverhead man arrested for DWAI in Southampton police checkpoint

Two people were arrested — including one man from Riverhead — during sobriety checkpoints Saturday in Southampton Town, according to a police press release.

In all, 44 motorists were stopped during the operation where Southampton Town police were helped out by other members of the district attorney’s East End DWI Task Force.

Officers from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, East Hampton Village and East Hampton Town police departments participated in the checkpoint, officials said.

The Riverhead man, Seth Wassenaar, 18, was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. on Flanders Road near Townsend Avenue in Flanders, police said.

He was stopped for driving without headlights and failing to keep his vehicle within his lane of travel, officials said.

Mr. Wassenaar was found to be under the influence of marijuana and charged with driving while ability impaired by a drug, a misdemeanor, and the following traffic infractions: operating without headlights, failure to maintain lane and violation of a license restriction, police said.

Last year, Mr. Wassenaar was charged with criminal sex act, a felony, and endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. The sex act charge was reduced to forcible touching, a misdemeanor, and immediately dropped by the district attorney. The endangering the welfare of a child charge was expected to be dismissed in January through a court agreement.

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