Two Sag Harbor Arrests

Sag Harbor police made two driving- while-intoxicated arrests last week, while the other departments in our coverage area reported none.

Jacob A. Love, 24, who police said had been seen by police “stumbling down Main Street” a little earlier last Thursday evening, was found slumped over the wheel of his vehicle with the engine running, his foot on the gas pedal, and the car in park. Under state law, if the engine is on and a driver is behind the wheel, the driver is considered to be operating the vehicle, even in park.

Police said Mr. Love was unable to perform the roadside sobriety tests “due to the level of intoxication, and safety concerns.” He was arrested on a misdemeanor driving-while-intoxicated charge but after he took an Intoxilyzer breath test at police headquarters, a second charge of aggravated D.W.I. was leveled. The reading was allegedly in excess of .18 of 1 percent. Due to the high level of the reading, as well as Mr. Love’s condition, police called the Sag Harbor Volunteer Ambulance Corps, which took him to Southampton Hospital “for possible alcohol blood poisoning.”

The other D.W.I. charge occurred after a 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe said by police to be doing 50 miles per hour on Main Street led to a traffic stop and the arrest of a Hampton Bays woman early Saturday morning.

Erica E. Koch, 40, was pulled over on Brick Kiln Road, where she allegedly failed roadside sobriety tests. At headquarters, her breath test produced a reading of .08 or higher, enough to trigger an aggravated D.W.I. charge.

Details about her arraignment were not available at press time.