Crime & Safety
Cops: Wrong-Way Driver Was High on Sunken Meadow
New Hyde Park man admitted to smoking marijuana, taking Valium before he drove, according to state police.
A drug-impaired man was arrested early Sunday after police stopped him as he was driving the wrong way on the Sunken Meadow Parkway in Kings Park, police said.
Walter Tortora, 35, of New Hyde Park, was arrested and charged with driving while ability-impaired by drugs, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and several traffic violations, police said.
Troopers responded to a 911 call reporting a wrong way driver on the parkway at approximately 1:45 a.m., and found a gray Mini-Cooper driving southbound in the northbound lane, according to a statement released Tuesday by New York State police.
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Police pulled Tortora over between Pulaski Road and Jericho Turnpike, and found him to be incoherent with slurred speech and bloodshot, watery eyes, officials said.
According to police, Tortora later admitted to having smoked marijuana and taken Valium earlier that evening.
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He was also found to be in possession of four Valium pills, police said.
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