Blotter: Southampton Police make several drug-related arrests

Riverhead Police

• Two men were arrested this week for making a false sworn statement to police in May. Town police arrested Gregory Locaso, 42, of Riverhead and Gerard Gawloski, 45, of Mastic Beach at police headquarters about 10 a.m. Monday. Both were charged with conspiracy and first-degree making a false statement. No additional information was available.

• A dozen car accidents were reported between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. ­— including one involving a Riverhead Police cruiser — during an ice storm Tuesday. A Riverhead police officer slid in a squad car into the Dollar Storage building on River Road in Calverton about 6:30 p.m., police said. The front bumper of the car was damaged. Portions of County Road 105, County Road 51 and Center Drive were all closed due to multiple accidents on those roads.

Southampton Police

Southampton Town Police made several drug-related arrests last week during routine traffic stops.

• Last Thursday morning, police stopped Vincent Briggs, 35, of Lewis Street in Riverhead, on Peconic Lane in Riverside for a seat belt violation, but as an officer was escorting Mr. Briggs from his car due to an odor of marijuana, Mr. Briggs dropped some packaged cocaine, officials said. He then began to flee but was caught by the officer. Police subsequently found packaged cocaine in plastic baggies and a gum container, as well as a crack cocaine ball, authorities said. Mr. Briggs also gave the officer a false name and had a suspended license, police said. He was charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest, driving while ability impaired by drugs, false personation, having an uninspected vehicle and not wearing a seat belt.

• Also early on Thursday, Donald Oliver, 35, of Flanders Road in Flanders was charged with DWI after his car was observed crossing the center turn lane as he headed south on Flanders Road in Riverside, and then taking off at 60 mph in a 40 mph zone after seeing a police car, officials said.
Mr. Oliver also turned into his driveway without signaling, had an open alcoholic beverage in his car and was found to be intoxicated, police said.
He was arrested about 2:15 a.m. and charged with DWI and a slew of vehicle and traffic violations, including driving with a suspended registration and an uninspected motor vehicle, police said.

• Early last Friday, 31-year-old Alfred Cowell of Hamilton Avenue in Riverhead caught the eye of police near Lake Avenue in Riverside after they observed him failing to signal a left turn and not wearing a seat belt, police said. An officer tried to pull him over, but Mr. Cowell instead fled in his car to the rear of the Budget Host Inn near the Route 24 traffic circle, where he failed to make a turn and had to stop to avoid crashing, officials said. The officer cornered him in that lot about 4:30 a.m., just minutes after trying to pull him over.
A registration check soon found the car had been stolen from Bohemia, and a search of the car turned up cocaine, police said. Mr. Cowell is also accused of giving a false name. After the officer learned the suspect’s real name, he discovered Mr. Cowell’s license had also been suspended, officials said.
Mr. Cowell was charged with criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a controlled substance and false personation.

• Friday night, police busted an East Hampton man for marijuana possession in Northampton after stopping his car for a traffic infraction, officials said. William Depetris, 22, of Three Mile Harbor Road was pulled over after he was observed crossing the yellow line on County Road 51 about 8:15 p.m., according to police, who said a strong odor of marijuana was emanating from the car.
Mr. Depetris was found to be in possession of Percocet without a prescription and marijuana, police said. He was also found to be driving under the influence of marijuana after failing roadside sobriety tests, officials said.
He was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance and traffic violations for moving from a lane unsafely and failing to dim his headlights, police said.

• In the fifth drug-and-traffic-related arrest last week, on Saturday police nabbed a 38-year-old Southampton woman who had been allegedly dealing drugs throughout the town. Police had stopped her on Flanders Road near Old Riverhead Road in Hampton Bays for improper use of signals, officials said.
During the traffic stop, Tania Copenhaver was found to possess cocaine and PCP, police said. The arrest actually punctuated a weeks-long drug investigation that included surveillance, during which investigators had observed Ms. Copenhaver dealing PCP and cocaine, police said.

• Jamar Reid, 23, of Priscilla Avenue in Flanders was charged with third-degree assault Friday on Flanders Road and County Road 105, where he was arrested in connection with an incident police said took place Sept. 8, 2010, in front of Hampton Ocean Resort on Dune Road. No further details were available.

• Graham Scott, 31, of Rocky Point was arrested about 8:45 p.m. last Thursday on County Road 94 near Center Drive in Riverside, where he was found drunk and lying in the snow, police said. Officers then ran a warrant check and found that a bench warrant for Mr. Scott’s arrest had been issued from Southampton Town Justice Court for an open alcoholic beverage violation Nov. 17, 2010, in the parking lot of Hampton Bays United Artists movie theater, police said.

• A 42-inch plasma television valued at $600, a compact disc player valued at $150 and an unknown amount of jewelry were reported stolen from a home on Flanders Road in Hampton Bays Sunday afternoon. No arrests have been made.
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.