'Senseless': Drunk Driver Careens Onto Montauk Green, Destroying Paintings, Tents Set Up For Art Show: Police

MONTAUK, NY — A crash on the Montauk Green early Sunday damaged numerous tents and pieces of artwork that were set up for an annual art show, police said.

According to East Hampton Town police, the single-vehicle crash, which caused minor injuries to the driver, took place at 2:59 a.m. at Carl Fisher Plaza when a 2020 Nissan Rogue driven by Nicoly Ribeiro De Souza, 23, of Farmingville, struck the Montauk Green, where tents and artwork were being stored overnight.

As a result of the accident, numerous tents and pieces of artwork were damaged, police said. Damage is estimated at more than $100,000, according to a Newsday report.

Ribeiro De Souza was arrested and transported to Southampton Hospital for minor injuries, police said. She was released and charged with DWI and six counts of reckless criminal mischief, and was held in custody awaiting arraignment, police said.

A GoFundMe was created by Evan Reinmeimer to help. The "Assist Montauk Artists After Tragic Loss" page said: " More than half a dozen artists tents, including the Montauk Artists Association member tent, were completely destroyed. Some artists lost everything."

The page added: "These art festivals are the livelihood of these artists and the art show is the main fundraiser for the Montauk Artists Association. These are not inexpensive displays. An art festival display of the caliber destroyed here can cost $5,000+ each, before even taking into account the cost of artwork and time these artists have spent creating it.

"Not only will artists need to purchase entirely new displays and create a new inventory of work, the missed income from not being able to exhibit for months can be career ending.

"This fundraiser is to benefit the Montauk Artists Association and the artists who have had their life’s work destroyed and their businesses crushed by this senseless accident."

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone that may have witnessed the crash is asked to contact the East Hampton Town Police Department at 631-537-7575.