Man Charged With DWI After Crashing Into, Snapping Utility Pole: PD

HAMPTON BAYS, NY — A Hampton Bays man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after crashing into a utility pole and snapping it in half, police said.

According to Southampton Town police, the incident took place on Monday at 2:42 p.m. on North Road in Hampton Bays.

Juvenal Feliciano Morastitla, 47, was arrested and charged with DWI, first offense; leaving the scene of a crash with property damage; operating a motor vehicle with .08 of 1 percent alcohol or more in blood, first offense; and moving from lane unsafely, a vehicle and traffic law offense, police said.

A PSEG Long Island worker who called police said he'd seen Feliciano Morastitla heading south on North Road, moving off the roadway; striking and destroying two work signs on the side of the southbound lane; and then, hitting a Verizon utility pole on the same side of the road, snapping it in half, police said

A man matching the description of the caller was located on Montauk Highway, about 1 mile away; when he was asked if he had been involved in a crash on North Road, he replied "yes.", police said.

He had red, glassy eyes, a very strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet, police said.

He was detained for investigation for leaving the scene of a crash, police said. He was then administered standardized field sobriety tests, which he performed poorly on, and tested for alcohol, police said.

He was placed under arrest, transported to headquarters for processing, and held for morning arraignment, police said.