Driver faces felony DWI charge

A Port Washington man who stopped his car Friday on the shoulder of the Meadowbrook Parkway in North Merrick faces felony drunken driving charges, State Police said.

Jose Pereyra, 44, of Port Washington, had stopped his blue Honda Accord on the shoulder of the southbound Meadowbrook near the Southern State Parkway exit at about 4 a.m., police said.

When troopers stopped to interview Pereyra, they "smelled a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath," according to a release.

Pereyra failed sobriety tests and was charged with DWI.

Police said that because Pereyra has a previous DWI arrest in the last 10 years, he is charged with felony DWI. He also is charged with driving with a suspended license and traffic violations.

Arraignment information was not immediately available.