Wading River man drove into building while drunk, police say

A 57-year-old man was charged with drunken driving after he crashed his sport utility vehicle into a building on North Country Road in Wading River on Tuesday, police said.

Kenneth Knapek, of Wading River, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after the crash near the intersection with North Wading River Road at 1:30 a.m., Riverhead Town police said. Police said Knapek was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead after the crash and was treated and released; he was then taken to police headquarters to be held for arraignment Tuesday morning.

Police said Knapek lost control of his 1999 Chevrolet, striking the building at 1530 North Country Rd. The building was unoccupied at the time of the crash.

The Wading River Fire Department and the Riverhead Fire Marshal also responded to the scene.

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.”