Three Other DWI Arrests Made Same Day
Deputies from the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department arrested a Coram woman for Driving While Intoxicated after she allegedly drove the wrong way on Route 112 in East Patchogue near Sunrise Highway. A chemical breath test revealed that the defendant was three times the legal limit. Three additional DWI arrests were made the same night during routine patrol.
On March 26 at approximately 6:09 p.m., Deputy Sheriffs observed a Ford Fusion driven by Erin Valente traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Route 112. Deputies conducted a traffic stop before any crashes occurred and observed that the driver’s speech was slurred, her eyes were bloodshot, and there was a strong odor of alcohol on her breath.
Field sobriety tests indicated that she was intoxicated, with a reading of .25% BAC.
“I commend our deputy sheriffs for stopping a tragedy from occurring on our roadways. This woman was more than three times the legal limit and had no business being on the roadways,” said Suffolk County Sheriff Errol. D Toulon, Jr.
That same evening, Deputy Sheriffs made three additional DWI arrests across Suffolk County.
At approximately 10:36 p.m., Katelyn Baer, 20, was arrested after being observed stopped in the right lane of eastbound Sunrise Highway near Exit 46A with her hazard lights activated. When deputies approached to conduct a welfare check, Baer allegedly began to drive away on a blown-out front tire rim. Deputies observed signs of intoxication, including slurred speech, bloodshot and glassy eyes, and unsteady movement. A chemical breath test later revealed a BAC of .24%, nearly three times the legal limit.
At approximately 10:18 p.m., Elias Rudy, 46, was arrested on the westbound Long Island Expressway near Exit 62 after being observed speeding at approximately 75 miles per hour in a 55mph zone. Deputies observed signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and a strong odor of alcohol. Rudy allegedly failed field sobriety tests and later refused to submit to a chemical breath test. He has multiple prior DWI-related convictions within the past 15 years.
At approximately 1:50 a.m. on March 27, Kelly Bautista-Lema, 27, was arrested on eastbound Sunrise Highway west of Exit 52A after failing to maintain her lane. Deputies observed signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and the odor of alcohol. She admitted to consuming alcohol and failed field sobriety tests. A chemical breath test revealed a BAC of .14%.
“All of these drivers posed a serious danger to the public and I once again applaud our Deputy Sheriffs for keeping our communities safe. Let this serve as a reminder: if you are under the influence, do not get behind the wheel,” Toulon said.
Valente, 49, was charged with Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated and other traffic violations. The additional defendants were also charged with Driving While Intoxicated and related offenses.