Cops: 2 more drunken drivers speed on LI

Through the December night, two drivers sped on Long Island highways in Suffolk County, pursued by law enforcement. The men were on different roads, but each was potentially a lethal force as they drove drunk the wrong way for miles, authorities said Thursday.

In incidents separated by less than two hours, Timothy Griffin of Yaphank and Christopher Williams of East Northport became the latest arrested in wrong-way driving cases on the Island in a spate that has seen five such arrests within the last month.

"Our officers, your family, anyone who's out there, is being put at risk," said Chief Michael Sharkey, spokesman for the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office. "It's very alarming, very alarming."

Since early July, authorities have arrested at least seven wrong-way drivers on Long Island and one in Queens. Serious collisions occurred in four of those cases, and in three of them a person was killed - though never the wrong-way driver.

Of the cases in the past month, all involving allegedly intoxicated drivers, one was deadly. On Nov. 15, a wrong-way driver, who officials say was intoxicated, killed off-duty NYPD Officer Andre Menzies of North Babylon. A memorial service for Menzies is being held Sunday afternoon in Amityville.

LI officials, pols call for action

"It's disgusting - the common element seems to be drunk driving," said Sen. Carl Marcellino (R-Syosset), who is sponsoring legislation that would require a statewide study of ways to reduce wrong-way driving. "It's something that simply has to stop."

Late last month, Nassau District Attorney Kathleen Rice called on the state Department of Transportation in Albany to review what road modifications might curb wrong-way driving. Thursday, her office said all she'd gotten from the state was silence.

"These continuing episodes betray the statistics of how 'rare' wrong-way driving is and how urgent the need is for an engineering solution," Rice said in a statement. "It is only a miracle that every one of these cases does not end in tragedy."

Eileen Peters, a regional DOT spokeswoman, said the agency is examining the issue but believes adequate steps have been taken to prevent wrong-way driving. All recent cases on the Island, she said, share a trait: impaired drivers at the wheel. "Our roads are safe," Peters said. "They are perfectly safe if you are alert, sober and follow the rules of the road."

No fatalities in latest crashes

The most recent cases did not result in injury to other drivers.

The first occurred just before midnight Wednesday, when Suffolk sheriff's units pursued Griffin, 43, for four miles on the LIE as he drove west in the eastbound lanes at speeds of up to 60 mph before his gray Chevy pickup was stopped just east of Exit 68. Griffin was driving without a license, authorities said, because of a DWI arrest in July.

At about 1:15 a.m., Suffolk police and Sheriff's Office units stopped Williams, 40, near Exit 58 on the Sunrise Highway. Williams had been tailed as he drove his Honda Accord west at high speeds in the eastbound lanes of Sunrise for eight miles through Eastport and Shirley, police said.

Drivers on Sunrise were forced to take evasive action to avoid Williams, according to court papers.

At Griffin's arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip, prosecutor Josh Shapiro said the suspect eluded deputies while driving the wrong way from exits 71 to 69 on the LIE.

"He nearly struck several oncoming cars and nearly struck the sheriff," Shapiro said.

Once pulled over, he said, Griffin refused to leave his truck. He then appeared "unsteady on his feet," telling authorities he'd had "a Bacardi and Coke" as well as "smoked two joints," Shapiro said. It was Griffin's third DWI arrest, and his initial blood alcohol reading was 21/2 times the legal limit, authorities said.

Griffin's lawyer, Craig Fleischer, told District Court Judge Richard Horowitz his client is a dock worker who's lived in Suffolk his entire life and needs help, not jail time. "I'm hoping he can get into rehab," Fleischer said.

Horowitz remarked that he was troubled that "the defendant's license was already suspended . . . and yet he continued to drive." He ordered Griffin held on $300,000 bond or $150,000 cash bail.

Griffin pleaded not guilty to reckless driving, reckless endangerment, driving while intoxicated (drugs and alcohol), felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest and marijuana possession.

Williams appeared at the same courthouse.

When Williams was pulled over, Shapiro said, he put his car into drive and rolled over the foot of one of the responding officers.

Williams' lawyer, William Ferris, argued for low bail, saying his client has no criminal record, has lived in Suffolk all his life and is married with children. Williams is an insurance broker, Ferris said.

Horowitz ordered Williams held on $300,000 bond or $150,000 cash bail.

Williams pleaded not guilty to reckless endangerment, driving while intoxicated and second-degree assault for allegedly injuring a police officer and resisting arrest.

With Emily C. Dooley, Gary Dymski and John Valenti