Town Police: Riverside Man Charged With DWI

The following arrests were reported by the Southampton Town Police Department. A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Riverside

• Paul Ciochetto, 44, of Riverside, was arrested in Riverside on Aug. 26 on a host of charges stemming from a single car crash he was involved in. Police said Ciochetto was driving a Toyota Yaris on Ludlam Avenue, near Flanders Road, when he crashed his vehicle shortly after midnight. Ciochetto managed to drive off from the accident, but town police caught up with him at his home in Riverside. Police said Ciochetto admitted to driving the vehicle but claimed he didn’t know he was in an accident. According to police Ciochetto appeared to be intoxicated. He was taken into custody and charged with misdemeanor DWI, as well as leaving the scene of an accident, unsafely changing lanes and failure to produce a license, all violations.
• Jean Marc Choffel, 40, of New York, was arrested in Riverside on Aug. 20 on a charge of DWI, a misdemeanor.

Flanders

• A 53-year-old Aquebogue woman was arrested in Flanders on Aug. 19 after she was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation and then wouldn't listen to officers. Police said they pulled her over on Flanders Road for reportedly using her cellphone without a hands free device at around 3:30 pm. They said they found her 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier was unregistered, had plates from another vehicle on it, and had no insurance. The woman disobeyed orders to stay near the car and began to walk away from the officers, police said. She allegedly threw garbage on the ground and when police attempted to place her under arrest, she resisted. Ultimately, she was charged with resisting arrest and obstruction of governmental administration in the second-degree, both misdemeanors, and violations including driving an unregistered vehicle, improper plates, driving an uninsured vehicle and prohibited use of a cell phone, and littering.

Northampton 

• Gregory Lee, 43, of Riverhead, was arrested in Northampton on Aug. 24 on a drunken driving charge after police said he left the scene of an accident at around 11:30 pm. Police said Lee was involved in a two-car crash on Wildwood Trail. Police searched the area and located Lee, who was injured. Lee and the other driver were transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center for minor injuries, police said. Lee was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, also a misdemeanor, moving from a lane unsafely and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, both violations. He was released by the courts on $750 cash bail.