Police: Woman Drove While High, Hit Stop Sign

A Mastic woman was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs on Friday morning after Southampton Town police said they discovered she had hit a stop sign and was driving erratically on Riverside Drive.

Police responded to a report of an erratic driver near Flanders Road and County Road 105 around 8:30 a.m. when they stopped Patricia Gerle, 50, who they saw driving unpredictably, according to a police report of the incident. After investigating, police said they discovered Gerle was under the influence of drugs. Police also discovered she was in possession of illegal oxycodone, according to a police report.

Police said they noticed damage to the front of her vehicle; police found a damaged stop sign in nearby McLeod's Trailer Park with consistent signs of damage.

Gerle was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor, leaving the scene of an accident, a violation, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. She was transported to police headquarters for processing and held for morning arraignment.