LI Man Charged With Drug Possession After Traffic Stop: Sheriff

BOHEMIA, NY — A Bay Shore man was slapped with a drunken driving and a drug possession charge after he was caught speeding and tried to evade arrest last Thursday, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon's office said.

Deputy Sheriffs saw Lester A. Franco, 29, driving "at a high rate of speed" on Sunrise Highway in Bohemia and was stopped by the deputy sheriffs on Johnson Avenue on Thursday at about 3 a.m. on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and then he ran away through a nearby parking lot, according to Toulon's office.

Deputy sheriffs ran after Franco and then apprehended him, said Toulon's office, adding that a search of Franco's car found over 10 grams of cocaine, plastic baggies, and a scale.

Franco was charged with one count each of third-degree possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated, two counts of possession of second-degree drug paraphernalia, and miscellaneous vehicle and traffic charges.

Sheriff Toulon commended the deputies for their vigilance.

“This suspect was stopped on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and the arrest turned into a foot pursuit and a dangerous struggle," he said. "My deputy sheriffs never know what they will encounter when they make a traffic stop and I commend them for their bravery and diligence in bringing this man to justice and keeping Suffolk County safe.”

Correction: A previous version of this story erroneously reported, relying on information from Suffolk police, that officers found over 10 ounces of cocaine in the car. Police on Monday, Aug. 22, said corrected this information to say 10 grams of cocaine were found inside the car. The article has been updated accordingly.