Cops: Man pulled over for talking on cell phone faces drug charges

A Howard Beach man stopped last week for talking on his cell phone while driving on the Southern State Parkway faces drug charges, State Police said.

Paul Marino, 42, of 168-14 96th St., was pulled over on the parkway west of Exit 27, Wantagh Parkway, in Valley Stream at about 6 p.m. on July 15, police said.

According to a police report, Marino was "irate and used obscenities" toward the trooper and also said he had "Percocet pills in his pocket."

The trooper found 28 pills and arrested Marino, police said.

Marino is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and a health law violation of having a controlled substance in a non-original container, police said.

Arraignment information was not immediately available.