State Police: Driver of BMW without tires arrested on drug charges

An Oceanside man faces drug charges after driving on the Northern State Parkway Tuesday without tires on the passenger side of his BMW, State Police said.

Richard Rider, 31, was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal use of drug paraphernalia, possession of a hypodermic instrument, controlled substances not in original container, and traffic violations, police said Wednesday.

Shortly before 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday a trooper from the Farmingdale barracks saw the BMW going eastbound on the Northern State near the Wantagh State Parkway in Westbury, according to a news release.

“The operator of the BMW was driving without tires on the passenger side of the vehicle and was swerving across the lanes of traffic without using turning signals,” the release said.

After initiating a traffic stop and while approaching the BMW, the trooper saw Rider place “contraband” inside the glove compartment, police said. The release added Rider showed “obvious signs of impairment” and was arrested.

A search of the BMW yielded narcotic prescription pills, envelopes containing heroin, a hypodermic needle, and a scale, the release said.

His arraignment information was not immediately available.