DA: Off-duty Southampton police officer charged with DWI after crash

An off-duty Southampton Town police officer was charged with driving while intoxicated after allegedly rear-ending a vehicle in Westhampton, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney.

Eric Girardin, 36, of Center Moriches faces a misdemeanor DWI charge after allegedly crashing a 2020 Nissan sedan into a 2018 Hyundai late Friday night. The driver of the Hyundai, a 41-year-old Riverhead man, was not seriously injured in the crash.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Mill Road and Montauk Highway, the DA said.

“Members of the law enforcement community should be held to a higher standard, so it is disappointing when a member allegedly violates the laws they are sworn to protect,” Mr. Tierney said in a statement.

Mr. Girardin was arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court and ordered to turn in his driver’s license. He is due back in court in front of Judge Gary Weber on Jan. 19.

Mr. Tierney, who replaced outgoing DA Tim Sini at the start of the month, thanked the Southampton Town Police Department in a press release for its cooperation.

Mr. Girardin was hired in 2009 and earned a salary of $158,174 in 2020, according to public records.