Drunken driver struck parked police car, Riverhead cops say

A drunken driver struck an unoccupied Riverhead police vehicle with his SUV Sunday in front of the Suffolk Theater during a SantaCon event, authorities said.

According to a police report, the crash occurred about 12:40 a.m. when Julio Xajap-Sinai hit the marked police unit with his 1995 Ford Explorer. The police car was parked near a crosswalk where about 20 attendees of the annual pub crawl were standing.

There were no injuries.

Police said Xajap-Sinai, 20, of Northville Turnpike, Riverhead, then fled but was later pulled over by police a few blocks away on Second Street.

An investigation found Xajap-Sinai was not a participant in the SantaCon event, but was driving drunk and was in possession of a forged U.S. Department of Homeland Security resident alien card, police said.

Xajap-Sinai was charged with driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, and multiple motor vehicle and traffic violations.