Second D.W.I. Felony for Man in Nine Days

An East Hampton man who pleaded guilty to a felony drunken-driving charge in County Criminal Court, Riverside, on June 30, was arrested on the same charge nine days later.



Gerardo M. Lligui’s probation officer was waiting at his house on West Drive to interview him when he returned from his job. As Mr. Lligui got out of his car he reportedly told the officer, “I know my license is suspended, but I can’t walk from Noyac.”



He was given roadside sobriety tests, which he reportedly failed, and was taken to East Hampton Town police headquarters, where he allegedly refused to take the breath test. He was additionally charged with driving with a suspended license, a felony, and violating the terms of his probation, a misdemeanor.



In East Hampton Town Justice Court the next morning Justice Steven Tekulsky set bail at $20,000. Unable to raise it, the defendant was taken to the county jail in Riverside.



Mr. Lligui was first convicted of driving while intoxicated in 2011. Last December East Hampton Town police arrested him on the same charge, now a felony due to the prior conviction. That was the charge to which he pleaded guilty on June 30.



He had been scheduled for sentencing in State Supreme Court in several weeks. On Monday, however, his attorney, Susan Menu, rather than wait for the indictment process, had him brought there, and he pleaded guilty to the new charge of felony unlicensed driving. The second felony charge, for D.W.I., was dropped in return for the guilty plea. Sentencing on both the June 30 conviction and Monday’s will be on Aug. 20.



Eight others were charged with D.W.I. this past week. Four of them refused to take the breath test at police headquarters, which is required by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, meaning their in-state driving privileges were revoked for one year. They are Robin Kent, 40, of New York; Fernando Cumbe-Munoz, 31, of East Hampton, James Brew, 40, of East Hampton, and Tor A. Bono, 58, of Montauk.



The others arrested were Miguel O. Medina, 52, of Amagansett, Yaroslav Smolyansky, 39, of Brooklyn, Melanie L. Sztorc, 20, who is spending the summer in East Hampton, and Charles T. Antinello, 57, of Montauk.



Sag Harbor Village police arrested Daniel Jillard, 24, of Millersburg, Pa., on the night of July 8, after receiving a report of a reckless driver on Route 114. Mr. Jillard was pulled over on Bay Street and subsequently charged.



New York State Troopers continued their increased presence in Montauk this summer, making three more arrests on D.W.I. charges during the week. Ashley R. Cassar, 21, of Huntington was charged on Sunday after being pulled over on South Essex Street. James L. Kiernan, 24, of New City, N.Y., was arrested Saturday on South Emerson Avenue. Jessy L. Peters, 22, of New York City was arrested on July 7 after being stopped on Flamingo Avenue. After being taken to the state police substation in East Hampton, each was given a court date and released.