Drunken Driver Went Wrong Way On Long Island Expressway: Police

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — A Patchogue man was arrested after driving drunk the wrong way on the Long Island Expressway early Monday, according to Suffolk police.

A 911 caller reported saw a man driving the wrong way on the eastbound LIE, near exit 63 in Holtsville, at 3:15 a.m. Officers responded and saw the car, a 2016 Nissan, traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes, near exit 58.

Officers stopped eastbound traffic at exit 56 and tried to pull over the driver, identified as 28-year-old Christian Vasquez, as he continued to drive westbound in the eastbound lanes. The driver then passed through the U-turn cut at exit 56 and continued driving west in the westbound lanes. Stop sticks were deployed near exit 52 and the car stopped westbound on the Long Island Expressway near exit 51 in Dix Hills.

Vasquez was charged with driving while intoxicated and second degree reckless endangerment. He was held overnight at the Second Precinct and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Monday.