Wrong-way driver charged with DWI in Cutchogue, police say

A wrong-way drunken driver was arrested after fleeing police, forcing other drivers off the road and almost colliding twice with patrol units, Southold Town police said.

Marsha L. Beale, 54, of Wading River, was arrested following the pursuit Friday night in Cutchogue, police said Monday. She was charged with felony driving while intoxicated.

Police said officers first spotted Beale driving a blue Hyundai eastbound in the westbound lane of Route 48 near Cox Lane at 11:23 p.m.

A marked patrol car, lights and siren activated, then attempted to stop the car, police said -- but Beale "almost collided with the marked unit."

She then continued east in the wrong lane, forcing traffic off the road and almost colliding again with the patrol car, police said, before she was eventually stopped at an unspecified location. Police said an investigation determined Beale was intoxicated.

No one was injured during the incident.

Arraignment details were not immediately available.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”