Police: Driver talking on cell phone faces DWI charge

A Hempstead man faces drunken driving charges after he was stopped on the Southern State Parkway in Hempstead Sunday night, State Police said.

Denzil Jackson, 57, of 31 Emery St., was driving east on the parkway near Exit 18, Eagle Avenue, when he was pulled over on suspicion of an unsafe lane change and talking on his cell phone, police said.

Jackson had a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, police said. He failed sobriety tests, provided a breath-analyzer sample of .08 percent and was arrested, police said.

He was charged with driving while intoxicated and several traffic violations, police said. He was scheduled to appear at First District Court in Hempstead on Dec. 10.