Teen's DWI charge dropped in fatal crash

Drunken driving charges have been dropped against an East Quogue teen involved in a fatal crash after toxicology tests came back clean, the Suffolk district attorney's office said.

Southampton Town police had charged Taylor Geib, 17, with driving while intoxicated, unsafe speed and failure to maintain lane after a June 26 crash that killed his passenger, Cameron Nicholls, 18, of Quogue. Nicholls had just graduated from Westhampton Beach High School.

Police said then that Geib was driving south on Lewis Road in East Quogue when he lost control of his 2007 Honda, crossed into the oncoming lane, veered back into his lane, went across a lawn, overturned and struck a vehicle parked in the driveway.

His mother, Jody Geib, 52, referred all questions on the matter to her attorney.

"He consented to have his blood drawn that night," said Geib's attorney, Cornelius Rogers of Southampton. Rogers said he was mystified why police had charged his client with DWI.

Southampton Town police spokesman Lt. Robert Pearce said Geib was initially charged with driving while intoxicated after police found open containers of alcohol in the car. He said police also reported smelling a strong scent of alcohol, giving them an indication that someone in the car had consumed alcohol.

Geib pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Southampton Town Court to charges of failure to maintain lane and speed not reasonable and prudent.

He is due back in Southampton Town Court on Sept. 14.

Bob Clifford, spokesman for the district attorney's office, said the investigation is continuing and that his office is conducting an accident reconstruction.

"Conceivably, they could put a case before the grand jury" to seek other charges, Rogers said. "We'll see what happens."

With Tania Lopez