4 Nabbed In Thanksgiving Eve Stop DWI Enforcement: Police

RIVERHEAD, NY —Four people were arrested in a DWI crackdown in Riverhead on Thanksgiving Eve, police said.

The Riverhead Town Department established Stop DWI safety/sobriety checkpoints Wednesday night; the first checkpoint started at 6 p.m. on East Main Street just west of Elton Ave. and ended around 9 p.m., police said.

Two were arrested at the first checkpoint, police said: Richard Stephenson, 66, of Jamesport, was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, police said. He was processed at police headquarters and held for morning arraignment, police said. Stephenson's vehicle was seized as per Suffolk County law requiring the seizure of vehicles driven by individuals with a prior conviction, police said.

Artemio Velasquez-Cul, 39, of Riverhead, was arrested and charged with driving while ability impaired, police said. He was also charged with seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance after a small amount of an illegal drug was found upon his person, police said. Velasques-Cul was processed at police headquarters and released on an appearance ticket, police said.

The second checkpoint was located on Peconic Ave. and began around 9 p.m., ending at 11:30 p.m., police said.

Joshua Georges, 27, of Riverhead, was arrested and charged with first degree aggravated unlicensed, a felony, and multiple vehicle and traffic violations, police said. His license was found to have been suspended 58 times, having 56 scoffs on 10 separate dates, police said. His vehicle was impounded, police said. He was processed at police headquarters and then released on an appearance ticket, police said.

Julio A. Vasquez, 26, of Riverhead was arrested and charged with DWI, police said. He was processed at police headquarters and held for arraignment, police said.