Crime & Safety

East Setauket Man Arrested in Wrong-Way Driving Incident

Friday's incident is the third wrong-way crash in the past month.

Ralph Cerullo, a resident of East Setauket, was arrested just after midnight on Friday after deputy sheriffs responded to 911 calls about a car traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Sunrise Highway in Sayville.

According to reports, responding deputy sheriffs attempted to stop Cerullo's oncoming 2008 Infiniti, which swerved around the sheriffs' marked cars with sirens and lights blaring. Cerullo then drove onto the grassy median and struck the guardrail. Deputy Sheriffs McQuade and Lynagh blocked Cerullo's attempt to continue driving.

"Had he not been stopped, Mr. Cerullo undoubtedly would have caused serious injury to himself and other motorists," said Sheriff Vincent F. DeMarco.

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Cerullo, who said he was coming from a Christmas party, faces multiple charges including DWI, reckless driving, reckless endangerment and unlawfully fleeing. He was taken into custody and arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on Friday.

A call to an East Setauket residence listed under Cerullo's name on Friday evening was not returned.

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This is the third incident on Long Island in the last month involving a wrong-way driver. Accidents were reported Nov. 15 on the Northern State Parkway and Nov. 16 on the Long Island Expressway. A New York City police officer was killed in the Nov. 15 crash.


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