Meryl Streep's Nephew To Pay $250 Fine After 'Road Rage' Incident

EAST HAMPTON, NY — Charles Harrison Streep, 32, will pay a $250 fine following a"road rage" incident in East Hampton in August, 2020 that left a teen seriously injured, according to court records.

According his attorney Andrew Weinstein, Streep pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in relation to a single, parking-related, non-criminal violation in East Hampton; he acknowledged that he "recklessly created a risk of public inconvenience when he parked his car in a manner that impeded vehicular traffic," Weinstein said. The fine was $250.

The New York Post reported that Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Brosco said David Peralta, 19, the man injured during the altercation, was responsible for causing those injuries himself.

Felony charges were dismissed last November and reduced to misdemeanors by the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office, Streep's attorneys confirmed.

Streep was arrested at an East Hampton Village home on August 27, 2020 and and charged with second-degree assault and second-degree strangulation, police said. Those felony charges were dismissed and reduced to misdemeanors, attorneys for Streep said.

East Hampton Village Police said the incident took place at 11:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Chase Bank on Main Street. Police responded to reports of a possible fight and found Peralta, of Springs, who had sustained "serious head trauma" and needed emergency surgery, officials said. An investigation revealed that Streep had assaulted him, police said.

"In our view, today’s court proceedings confirm what we have previously indicated — that Mr. Streep was innocent of all criminal charges that had been lodged against him," said Andrew J. Weinstein and Brian Desesa, attorneys for Streep, on Wedneday. "We were confident from the outset that, notwithstanding the distorted and self-serving narrative being peddled to the media by Mr. Peralta and his attorney, a full, fair and impartial review of all the evidence in this case would establish that Mr. Streep did not commit any crime. So we were not at all surprised that, following the district attorney’s extensive investigation into the facts of this case, all criminal charges against Mr. Streep have been dismissed. Mr. Streep is extremely grateful that justice has finally been served."

According to the East Hampton Star, Streep is the nephew of actress Meryl Streep.

Streep was initially arraigned by East Hampton Town Justice Steve Tekulsky and was released on $5,000 bail, police said. That bail was exonerated and Streep was released on his own recognizance last November.

According to Edmond C. Chakmakian, attorney for Peralta, 19, the teen injured: "I'm pleased that it's resolved because now the civil case can proceed."

Chakmakian also represents Peralta in a civil case in New York City, where Streep lives when not at his family's summer home in East Hampton. "We want compensation for his pain and suffering, for his medical bills, which are well over $100,000, and for future medical bills," he said. "We faces a long road of therapy, neurologic workup, MRIs — he faces a very uncertain future."

Chakmanian added on Wednesday: "I have no doubt whatsoever that David will get justice in the civil forum. I'm also looking forward to questioning Mr. Streep under oath. Among the many questions he'll be asked is, 'What were you thinking?' and 'Was it worth it?'"

After the incident, which occurred when Streep reportedly failed to yield at a stop sign, Peralta suffered an epidural hematoma, Chakmakian said. Peralta is a "hardworking kid," with two jobs who was about to begin his sophomore year at John Jay when the incident took place, Chakmakian said. "Now he doesn't leave his house," has cognitive issues, is light sensitive and has severe headaches, Chakmakian said. "His brain injury was life-altering," he said. "He's got a long road and a very uncertain recovery ahead of him."

Of the incident, Chakmakian said he believed it was "an obscene display of privilege and anger on a beautiful summer day in East Hampton."

The community came together to help Peralta with a GoFundMe page.

According to Wenzel, Peralta worked as a server at Dopo La Spiaggia restaurant in East Hampton.