Jamesport Fire Chief Pleads Not Guilty, Released Without Bail: Attorney

NORTH FORK, NY- A Jamesport assistant fire chief who was arrested Saturday after police say he drove drunk and crashed his fire department vehicle into Southold street signs and then fled the scene before being arrested in Mattituck, pleaded not guilty at his Sunday arraignment.

According to John O’Brien, the attorney for David J. McKillop, 55, of Aquebogue, a well-loved coach and teacher in the Riverhead School District, was released without bail following the arraignment.

McKillop is due back in Southold Town Justice Court on April 8.

According to Southold Town Police, McKillop was arrested at 6:23 p.m. Saturday after his fire department vehicle left the roadway and crashed into multiple street signs on Route 25 and Tuckers Lane in Southold.

Two other people were in the vehicle with McKillop, according to Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley.

A witness reported that the vehicle than left the scene heading west on Route 25, police said. An officer located the vehicle traveling west on Route 25 in Mattituck and observed severe damage to the front end of the vehicle and a large hole in the windshield, police said.

The vehicle was a Jamesport Fire Department chief’s driven by McKillop, who was arrested near the American Legion in Mattituck, at the intersection of Route 25 and Wickham Avenue, police said.

He participated earlier in the day in the Greenport Presidents’ Day Parade, but parade organizers note that all festivities ended hours before McKillop was arrested.

McKillop was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident with property damage, having no headlights after dark and a defective front windshield, police said.

Video by Madeline Ordmandy