The Suffolk County Sheriff’s team arrested the driver for nearly 3 times the legal limit.

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Team Engaged in Active Disability Driver Reduction Efforts (SPIDRE) arrested a driver who was nearly three times the legal blood alcohol limit (0.08%) for drunk driving.

On 02/14/2023, at approximately 11:21 p.m., sheriff’s deputies spotted 50-year-old Ruth Rivera-Beltran of Deer Park, New York, driving a car on the Sunrise Highway in Islip. It was observed that Ms. Rivera-Beltran was unable to maintain her lane, swerving several times off the lines separating traffic lanes on both sides. The deputies stopped the car, and Rivera-Beltran showed clues by taking standardized field sobriety tests that showed she was intoxicated. At approximately 11:40 p.m., Ms. Rivera-Beltran was arrested and taken to 100 Center Drive, Riverhead, NY, where she underwent a chemical breath test, which resulted in a blood alcohol level of 0.22%.

In New York State, a blood alcohol level of 0.18 or higher results in an aggravated driving under the influence charge. A second offense within 10 years raises the charge from a misdemeanor to a class E felony with a minimum fine of $1,000, imprisonment for up to 4 years, and loss of driver’s license for at least 18 months.

The Sheriff of Toulon salutes the hard work of the SPIDRE team. “We have a zero tolerance policy for drunk driving in Suffolk. Rest assured, our drunk driving team is on the lookout for drunk drivers every night. This motorist was almost 3 times the legal limit and was so drunk that he could kill or seriously injure other drivers or himself. I thank these highly qualified MPs for their vigilance and for keeping Suffolk County’s roads safe.”

For more information, contact the sergeant. Thomas Shore: [email protected].