Islandia woman charged with DWI after driving into Ronkonkoma pond, Suffolk police say

An Islandia woman was charged with driving while intoxicated after, police said, she drove her sport utility vehicle into a pond Thursday night at a Ronkonkoma apartment complex and had to be rescued.

Melissa McMullen, 39, was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation after her vehicle, with her still inside, was pulled from the pond at the Colony Park Apartments by Suffolk County police Emergency Service officers, police said.

Police said McMullen drove her 2009 Mercury Mountaineer into the pond at the center of the complex on Peconic Street at about 7:50 p.m. and said responding Emergency Service Section officers from the Fifth Precinct arrived to find the SUV "taking on water."

Officers Danny Colondona, Carmine Pellegrino and Chris Oddo then broke a window in the vehicle, attached a chain, and pulled it from the pond — all with McMullen still inside, police said.

The water depth was unknown.

McMullen faces arraignment at a later date in First District Court in Central Islip. It was not clear if she was represented by counsel.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”