Roads Were Perilous
From Wainscott to Montauk, town roads were dangerous as well as clogged during the days preceding and following the Fourth of July. They proved fatal for one motorcyclist, who was struck by a car and killed on Saturday morning.
Four bicyclists and a moped rider were also injured in accidents during the holiday weekend. Thirty-nine accidents, an unusually high number, were reported in all by East Hampton Town and Village police.
The fatal motorcycle accident occurred at the intersection of Springy Banks and Oyster Shores Roads in East Hampton at around 8:45 a.m. The driver of the car, Frances DeMarco of East Hampton, was attempting to make a left turn onto Oyster Shores Road, she told police, when she heard a horn. She stopped and let a motorcycle go by in the oncoming lane, then proceeded.
Motorcyclist Killed
Mrs. DeMarco, 76, told police she did not see a second motorcycle, driven by Kenneth H. Knollenberg of Bridgehampton, come around a bend in the road. The car and the motorcycle collided, throwing the 68-year-old Mr. Knollenberg from the bike. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Both Mrs. DeMarco and her husband, Michael DeMarco, 86, who was riding next to her in the front seat, were taken to Southampton Hospital to be checked out, though police said they had no visible injuries.
The incident remains under investigation.
A Manhattan law firm specializing in personal injury litigation, Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro, announced Tuesday that it had been retained in the case by the victim's family and was "investigating all possible causes to this accident in addition to error of the driver."
Mr. Knollenberg's obituary appears in this issue.
Moped Mishap
A moped accident later on Saturday in Montauk resulted in injuries to the rider, as well his arrest for alleged marijuana possession.
Police said Gary Liepper of Roslyn, riding on Old Montauk Highway, had been changing lanes illegally and trying to ride on the sidewalk when the front tire of his moped hit a hole. The bike flipped over, throwing Mr. Liepper onto the sidewalk.
Suffering from a concussion and numerous abrasions, he was taken by ambulance to East Hampton Airport, then airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital.
His injuries turned out to be only minor, and he was released the same day after treatment. A search of his bag, however, turned up a half-dozen marijuana cigarettes, according to police.
Mr. Liepper was charged with unlawful possession of the controlled substance, a violation, and given a court-appearance ticket.
Bicycle Accidents
Bicyclists also found the roads unfriendly this week. Police reported four bicycle-versus-car accidents over the weekend, none of which resulted in serious injuries.
The first occurred in front of the Amagansett Post Office Friday afternoon. H. Singleton-Green, driving an Avis rental car, was attempting to pull out of the Post Office parking lot to head east on Montauk Highway when she collided with James Hoopes of Amagansett, who was trying to turn left into the lot.
Mr. Hoopes sustained substantial cuts on his face and was transported to the emergency room, which released him after treatment.
Several hours later, at the intersection of Swamp Road and Route 114 in East Hampton, a bicycle and car collided again.
Bruce Fletcher, the bicyclist, was riding on 114 with his 1-year-old son, Kyle, behind him in a bike seat. At the Swamp Road intersection, the bicycle was struck by a car driven by Paul Curtis of Manhattan, who was trying to turn onto Route 114.
The 1-year-old suffered a minor injury. He was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released.
Struck From Behind
On Saturday, Paul Pion of Manhattan was riding his bike along Three Mile Harbor Road in Springs, near Washington Avenue, when, he said, he was struck from behind by a car and thrown to the ground. The driver, Gunter Binkowski of Ridgewood, said Mr. Pion had ridden into the front of his car.
Mr. Pion was treated for bruises to his arm at Southampton Hospital and released.
The next day in Montauk, Mark Davis of Greenwich, Conn., was riding his bike on Essex Street, when, he told police, a car crossed in front of him, turning in to the Mobil gas station. Edith Wright of Montauk was the driver.
The bike and car collided, causing minor injuries to Mr. Davis. He was taken to Southampton Hospital, where he was treated and released.
Over His Foot
A truck ran over a contractor's foot at a Montauk work site June 30. Peter Maxey of East Hampton told police he was kneeling down working on a catch basin, with his foot in front of a rear wheel. Suddenly the truck began to pull out, running over Mr. Maxey's foot.
The driver, Robert Baker of East Hampton, said he had not seen anyone near the truck.
Mr. Maxey was released after em er gency room treatment.
A rear-end collision on Old Stone Highway in Springs Friday sent one driver to the hospital with minor injuries. Suzanne Beverly of Sag Harbor told police she had stopped to turn onto Red Dirt Road when a car driven by Alan Bourne of Manhattan slammed into the back of hers.
Complaining of neck pain, she was taken to the hospital, treated, and released.
There was a similar rear-end collision Saturday morning at the intersection of Montauk Highway and Devon Road in Amagansett. Douglas Reese of Springs said he stopped his car abruptly to avoid hitting a car in front of him that had also stopped short, when he was hit from behind by another car, driven by Darren DiSanto of Miller Place.
Mr. Reese and a passenger in the DiSanto car, Christopher Barbieri, both complained of neck pain. Mr. Reese declined medical attention, but Mr. Barbieri was taken to Southampton Hospital, which released him after treatment.
In Town Pond
A Southampton youth was charged with displaying a fictitious inspection sticker, a misdemeanor, on Friday after village police pulled him over for allegedly speeding on Woods Lane. Police said the sticker on Eric J. Gallant's 1979 B.M.W. belonged to a 1977 Mercedes Benz.
Police also ticketed the 19-year-old, who lives on Highland Road, for allegedly lacking inspection, insurance, and a front license plate. He was released on $25 station-house bail and given a court date.
Of 19 accidents in the village last week, two resulted in trips to the emergency room; a third ended with a car in Town Pond. Ivan M. Fatovich of Fort Lee, N.J., failed to negotiate the left turn from Woods Lane to Main Street early Saturday morning and wound up with a few wheels of his Jeep in the pond.
There were no injuries or damage, police said, though the vehicle had to be towed from the water.
Village Accidents
William P. Jenkins of Dix Hills was driving down Ocean Avenue July 2 when a car pulled out of Lily Pond Lane in front of him. He could not avoid hitting it, he told police.
The other driver, Alexander Schick of East Hampton, told police he had made a left turn when he was suddenly struck by Mr. Jenkins's car. Mr. Schick complained of minor facial bleeding and a passenger, Nina Schick, complained of minor bleeding on her lower arm. Both were taken by ambulance to the hospital, where they were treated and released.
On June 29, an East Hampton bicyclist was treated and released at Southampton Hospital after an accident on Newtown Lane. Brian King said he was riding against traffic and entering the A&P parking lot when his bike and a car came together. He said he did not see the car until the collision.
Driving the car was Kim Reisman of Manhattan, who told police she was entering the parking lot when the bicycle hit her vehicle.
In The Harbor
In Sag Harbor, meanwhile, police made six drunken driving arrests during the week.
Charged on July 2 was Necole A. Gustauson, 19, of Shelter Island. On Saturday, police charged JoAnn M. Goldberg, 50, of High Point Road, East Hampton, Fatima Z. Rodriguez, 33, of Forest Hills, and Karen B. Friedman, 37, of Great Neck.
Charged Monday were Troy K. Sadler of Swamp Road, East Hampton, 26, and Fabio Pedranzini, 26, of Main Street, Sag Harbor.
Boats Vs. Rocks
Finally, outside the Sag Harbor breakwater, rocks claimed three boats over the weekend.
Ted Sadler, senior bay constable, said James Donaghy's Searay sustain ed $4,000 worth of damage on July 2. Judith Sterboum's 31-foot Tiara will cost about the same amount to re pair.
The rocks inflicted $10,000 worth of damage to George Lilienthal's 33-foot Riveria.
No one was injured in the mishaps.