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Southampton Blotter: Traffic infraction leads to drug arrest in Riverside

A Riverhead man was caught with cocaine and drug paraphernalia after he was stopped for a traffic infraction last Saturday in Riverside, Southampton Town police said.

Donald Norton, 37, was puled over by police after failing to stop at a stop sign and allowed his vehicle to be searched, officials said. Police said they recovered a quantity of cocaine, as well as a drug scale, metal tweezers with burn marks at the tip and a false rock of crack cocaine.

Mr. Norton was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, along with two traffic violations.

• A Hampton Bays man was arrested on weapons and drug charges last Saturday in the parking lot of 7-Eleven on Flanders Road in Flanders, police said.

Nicholas Garofallou, 30, was spotted in his vehicle just before 1 a.m. smoking a prescription pill, police said. Police searched the car and recovered two switch blades, a dagger, a collapsible police baton and marijuana, officials said.

Mr. Garofallou was charged with four counts of criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana, police said.

• A Wading River woman was caught with cocaine in her vehicle at the Budget Host Inn in Riverside on Feb. 13, police said.

Lynn Garrick, 44, was found with the drug on the floor of her vehicle and in the front passenger seat. She was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, police said.

• A Riverside man reported last Wednesday that his car, a black 2014 Mazda 3, was stolen from the parking area near his Peconic Avenue apartment. The man told authorities it had been moved between the early morning hours of Feb. 1, police said. After a search of the neighborhood, the car was spotted at a nearby Valero gas station. Detectives responded to the scene to investigate, officials said.

• A Cutchogue man was arrested last Saturday after police received reports of an erratic driver who had left the scene of an accident on Quogue Riverhead Road in Riverside, authorities said.

Travis Thompson, 35, was spotted exiting his car when police arrived at the scene and was found to be in possession of a syringe and several prescription medications, officials said. He was determined to be impaired by drugs following field tests.

Mr. Thompson was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage and second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, along with several traffic violations, police said.

• A Flanders man was arrested on drug charges last Saturday after he was spotted walking down Cypress Avenue in Riverside while smoking a phencyclidine-dipped cigarette, police said.

Joe McKay, 44, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and appearing in public under the influence of drugs. He was also charged with littering after he was seen throwing the cigarette on the ground, 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.