Driver, passengers face drug charges in traffic stop

A driver accused of being under the influence of drugs and a passenger accused of holding counterfeit money remained in custody Friday, the Suffolk County Sheriff's office said. Both also face drug possession charges, officials said.

The driver and two passengers were arrested at about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday on Sunrise Highway in Hampton Bays, State Police said.

Rolando A. Briceno, 30, of Brooklyn, was remanded to the Suffolk County jail awaiting arraignment on charges of driving while his ability was impaired by drugs and misdemeanor drug possession, State Police said.

A passenger, Takia N. Hedrington, 25, of Brooklyn, remained in jail after she was charged with felony criminal possession of a forged instrument -- counterfeit U.S. currency -- and one charge each of possession of cocaine and of marijuana, police said. She was remanded to the Suffolk County jail on $10,000 bail, which she had not posted as of Friday morning, jail personnel said.

A third passenger, Denisha P. Robbins, 29, of East Hampton, was arrested on a misdemeanor drug possession charge and bail was set at $1,000 in her case. A jail employee said Robbins was not in custody Friday and had not been processed as an inmate this week.

"During the traffic stop, the operator," Briceno, "was found to have been smoking marijuana and carrying a small amount of cocaine," a State Police report says. Robbins and Hedrington "were each found to possess a small amount of cocaine."

Troopers patrolling the Hampton Bays area on Sunrise Highway early Wednesday saw a 2005 Lincoln Town Car speeding, and when they stopped the car they found Briceno, at the wheel, had been smoking marijuana and possessed a small amount of cocaine, police said. Hedrington and Robbins each also had a small amount of cocaine and Hedrington held the counterfeit money, police said.