CARMEL – A 44-year-old Westchester man was arrested by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office for driving a vehicle under the influence of drugs on Friday, October 13. The arrest of the Granite Springs man occurred in Kent after he almost crashed into a Putnam County Sheriff’s Investigator.
According to Sheriff McConville, his investigator was driving eastbound on Route 311 in Kent, near the I-84 overpass at approximately 5:30 p.m. when a westbound vehicle attempted to pass another vehicle and nearly struck the investigator. The detective pulled the vehicle over and as he approached, he could smell marijuana, according to McConville.
The black cloud associated with Friday the 13th became darker for the driver when he was informed that the investigator was a New York State-certified drug recognition expert. The investigator put the operator, identified as Carmine Caruso, through a series of field sobriety tests, and it was determined that Caruso was impaired by drugs. Caruso was arrested and charged with misdemeanor operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs.
Caruso was transported to the sheriff’s office and his vehicle was towed from the scene.
At the sheriff’s office Caruso was processed and given an appearance ticket for the drug charge, a second ticket for refusal to take a breath test, one for improper passing, and another for moving from lane unsafely.
