Police Blotter: Drunk Drivers, Charges of Cocaine and Marijuana Possession

Man Drives Through Steady Red Light

Anthony Derosa, 46 from Mahopac, is accused of passing through a steady red light at the intersection of Lexington Avenue and Route 6 on Feb. 9.

The man was stopped and a routine check revealed his license has allgedly been suspended. Derosa was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, as well as unlicensed operation and passing a red traffic signal, traffic infractions.

Derosa was released on $100 bail and turned over to Putnam County Sheriff's office on an active bench warrant. The defendant is due in court on March 13. 

Charges of Cocaine and Marijuana Possession

A 45-year-old Armonk resident faces criminal charges after he was found in possession of marijuana and cocaine, police said. 

Michael A. Mazzella's vehicle was stopped on Feb. 1 after police officer Swart observed him speeding on Route 6 and then passing through a stop sign on Barger Street.

The defendant was found to be in possession of marijuana and cocaine and was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor; unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation; and speeding and passing through a stop sign, traffic infractions. 

Mazzella was released on his own recognizance and scheduled to appear in court on March 1. 

Car Accident Leads to Arrest for Suspended License

A 52-year-old Yonkers man was arrested last week following a property damage auto accident in Mohegan Lake, police said. 

Michael Sepa was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor and unlawful tinted windows, a traffic infraction. 

Police said they were called to the accident scene on Feb. 9 where a routine check with the Department of Motor Vehicles revealed the defendant's license had allegedly been suspended. He was processed at police headquarters and released on his own recognizance. Sepa is due back in court on March 13. 

Drunk Driver Speeds, Fails to Maintain Lane

Yorktown police officer Sgroi, who was on routine patrol, observed a speeding vehicle that was also allegedly failing to stay within the designated lane on Feb. 12 at about 3:24 a.m. 

The vehicle was stopped and police determined the driver, 30-year-old Sleepy Hollow resident Giuseppe Didonna, was allegedly driving while intoxicated. A chemical breath test determined his blood alcohol content was .08 percent or more. 

He was processed and released to a third party and scheduled to appear in court on March 15. 

Drunk Driver Gets into Accident, Two Kids in Her Vehicle

A 41-year-old Carmel woman faces criminal charges after she allegedly drove drunk with her two kids in the vehicle and injured two others in an accident, Yorktown police said. 

Virve Virtanen reportedly got into an accident on Sunday at about 2:21 p.m. on Route 35 near Broad Street. The two occupants of the other vehicle were transported to the Hudson Valley Hospital Center with non life-threatening injuries, police said. 

Virtanen was arrested at the scene and transported to police headquarters. She was charged with two counts of aggravated driving while intoxicated – with a child, a class "E" felony. The charges were upgraded to a felony because her two kids, ages 5 and 2, were also in the vehicle. 

The defendant was released and scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 14. 

Unlicensed Operation, Uninspected Motor Vehicle

Police said officer Rapisarda was working at a vehicle and traffic check point at the Bear Mountain Extension near Stoney Street on Feb. 7 when he observed a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker. 

The driver, 42-year-old Joseph E. Abrusci from Holmes, allegedly had also been driving with a revoked license. He was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, and an uninspected motor vehicle, a traffic infraction. 

Abrusci was released and scheduled to appear in court on March 3.

Suspended Registration, Speeding, Unlicensed Operation and No Insurance

A 38-year-old Peekskill woman is accused of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended registration, police said. She also faces several traffic infractions, including unlicensed operation, speeding, and operating a vehicle without insurance.

Emma N. Heredia was arrested on Feb. 7 on Route 202 near Granite Springs Road after a police officer, equipped with a mobile plate reader, determined she had a suspended New York State registration. 

She was released on $50 bail and scheduled to appear in court on March. 8.

Marijuana Possession, Speeding

A 26-year-old Harrison man faces an unlawful possession of marijuana charge, a violation, as well as numerous vehicle and traffic law violations, police said. 

On Feb. 13, in the area of Route 6 and Hill Boulevard, police observed his vehicle allegedly traveling above the posted speed limit. He was stopped and allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Besides the speeding, police did not say what other vehicle and traffic law violations he was accused of. The man was released and scheduled to appear back in court on March 15.

Suspended Driver's License and Vehicle Registration 

Alexandra Surlak, 20, of Putnam Valley, is scheduled to appear in court on March 8 to answer charges that she allegedly was operating her vehicle with a suspended registration and no license, both misdemeanors.

Surlak was stopped on Feb. 8 at about 12:45 a.m. on Route 6 for speeding. Police investigation revealed she had been driving with a suspended driver's license and vehicle registration. 

The defendant was released to a family member after posting $50 bail.

Failure to Appear in Court 

A 23-year-old Mahopac man is accused of third-degree bail jumping, a misdemeanor, police said. 

On Feb. 15 Yorktown police were notified by state troopers that Robert M. McMahon was stopped for a traffic infraction on the Taconic State Parkway and was being detained on a bench warrant issued by the Yorktown Justice Court. 

The warrant stemmed from McMahon's alleged failure to appear in court on Jan. 12 in connection to an aggravated unlicensed operation charge. He was transported to police headquarters and released on $1,000 bail. The defendant was scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 16.