Good Samaritan Followed Dangerously Intoxicated Taconic Driver

CARMEL, NY — A Hudson Valley man's erratic driving caught the attention of another driver who alerted police.

Putnam County District Attorney Robert Tendy announced on Thursday that 33-year-old Nicholas Nappi, of Hopewell Junction, was found guilty on Tuesday of driving while intoxicated after a bench trial.

On October 11, 2024, a concerned 911 caller reported a vehicle driving the wrong way up an exit ramp, and erratically along the Taconic State Parkway.

The caller then followed the car to a Mobil gas station on Bryant Pond Road in Putnam Valley, where police found Nappi unconscious behind the wheel.

A DWI investigation conducted by the New York State Police and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office led to Nappi's arrest.

At sentencing, the District Attorney's Office requested a sentence of three years' probation. The judge instead imposed a one-year conditional discharge.

"This case highlights the dangers of impaired driving and the importance of community members speaking up when they see something wrong," Tendy said. "Thanks to the quick action of a concerned citizen and the efforts of law enforcement, a dangerous situation was brought under control before anyone was seriously hurt."

Tendy thanked the civilian witness, the New York State Police, and the Putnam County Sheriff's Office "for their cooperation and diligence throughout the investigation."