Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly, Long Beach Acting Police Department Commissioner Richard DePalma, and Freeport Police Department Chief of Police Michael Smith announced today $60,000 in grants provided by NCDA that will fund enhanced DWI enforcement on roadways from May through early October.
“In a nine-day span last August, seven people were tragically killed and another six were injured in four separate crashes on our Nassau County roadways involving a drug or alcohol impaired driver. It was horrifying, and it cannot happen again this summer,” said DA Donnelly. “Long Island remains one of the most popular summer destinations in our state because of our miles of scenic beaches and vibrant waterfront nightlife. These grants will give the Long Beach and Freeport Police Departments the necessary funds to step-up their DWI patrols during this busy season to protect motorists and pedestrians. These patrols will save lives.”
“The days between Memorial Day and Labor Day are often referred to as ‘the hundred deadliest days’ due to DWIs and other mitigating factors,” said Long Beach Acting Police Commissioner Richard DePalma. “District Attorney Donnelly's support for increased patrols throughout the summer is literally going to save lives. On behalf of the Department and City, I commend and thank DA Donnelly for her commitment to this issue and the safety of our residents.”
“I extend my sincere thanks to District Attorney Donnelly for her ongoing support in funding enhanced DWI patrols for a second consecutive year in the village of Freeport during the summer months,” said Freeport Chief of Police Michael Smith. “These additional patrols will continue to focus on enforcing DWI-related offenses at strategic times and locations. The increased police presence will serve as a strong deterrent to anyone considering driving under the influence of alcohol, ultimately helping to save lives in our community."
The Freeport Police Department doubled the number of arrests made for people driving under the influence last year with the assistance of NCDA grant funds. The department made a total of 61 arrests between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2023. Since the beginning of this year, Freeport police have made 48 DWI arrests.
Between 2014 and 2023, the Long Beach Police Department has made 1,026 DWI arrests, including 268 drug-related DWI arrests.
The grants, fully funded by criminal asset forfeiture provided by NCDA, will be used to provide hundreds of hours of dedicated manpower to combat drunk and drugged driving beginning during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, through Labor Day, and into early October. This period is widely considered one of the deadliest on Nassau County roadways.
The stepped-up enforcement will be staffed by officers who are trained in field sobriety tests, breath analysis and drug recognition. Patrols will focus on strategic times of high traffic, including weekends and holidays, and locations where DWI’s are most likely to take place, like bars, waterfront areas and outdoor restaurants.
NCDA’s Vehicular Crimes Bureau has several active prosecutions and investigations of crashes that occurred between Memorial Day 2023 and Labor Day 2023 that resulted in multiple deaths and injuries.
Earlier this month, Michael DeAngelo pleaded guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide (a B felony); four counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree (a C felony) and other charges for an August 6, 2023, crash in East Massapequa that killed Patrice Huntley, his two children, and his 6-year-old step-granddaughter and injured two other teenagers. DeAngelo was impaired by both fentanyl and cocaine at the time of the crash. He is expected to be sentenced to 7 to 21 years in prison on June 28, 2024.
On April 23, 2024, Sotirios Spanos pleaded guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide; two counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree and other charges for an August 12, 2023, DWI crash on Northern Boulevard that killed Ismenia and Odalis Urena, a married couple driving home from a date night. He is expected to be sentenced to 7 to 21 years in prison on June 17, 2024.