logo logo logo logo

Government / Police / Police News / Southampton Press / 2220192

Newly Elected County Legislator Catherine Stark Charged With Driving While Ability Impaired by Drugs After Riverhead Traffic Stop

icon 1 Photo
Catherine Stark

Catherine Stark

Tom Gogola on Dec 5, 2023

Suffolk County Legislator-elect Catherine Stark was charged with driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor, after being pulled over by Riverhead Town Police on December 3.

Stark, 60, was elected in November to replace Al Krupski as Suffolk County’s 1st District legislator after Krupski left his post to successfully run for Southold Town supervisor. Stark, a Republican, had worked for the Democrat Krupski as a legislative aide before running for office this year.

According to multiple news reports, Stark pleaded not guilty to the charges on December 4 in Riverhead Town Justice Court after spending the night at police headquarters in Riverhead following her arrest.

She reportedly told the police officer who pulled her over that she had taken one or two oxycodone pills for back pain, according to media reports from Newsday, News 12 Long Island and the local Riverhead press. Oxycodone is an opioid used to treat pain.

Stark’s attorney, Steven Losquadro, told the court, and reporters in attendance at the arraignment, that Stark had taken the drugs because of what he said was a “previously undisclosed” cancer diagnosis, though Stark’s campaign website notes that she is a cancer survivor.

In a statement, he said she had taken the drugs “hours” before she was arrested, according to Newsday’s report on the arraignment. Stark’s oncologist prescribed her drugs to help treat her cancer, he told the court, and he suggested that she ultimately would be released from the charge.

Stark was charged with DWAI following a 911 call to Riverhead Town Police at around 2:30 p.m. on December 3 that reported an erratic driver around Pondview Road, according to the initial police report.

The DWAI charge includes possible fines and penalties of up to one year in jail.

According to federal Food and Drug Administration guidance to physicians, “patients should be advised” that oxycodone-based pharmaceutical products “may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery).”

Under state law, a person can be convicted of DWAI if they take prescribed medication but don’t follow warning-label instructions regarding the dangers of driving while under their influence, or if they take prescribed medication but don’t follow a doctor’s orders regarding driving or other activities while they are taking the drug.

You May Also Like:

A New 27east and More Big Changes for The Express News Group

The Express News Group is launching a brand-new 27east.com this month, a major step forward ... 13 Dec 2025 by 27Speaks

Fractures Showing on Southampton Village Board Over Issues Like Meeting Agendas, Records Release, Workforce Housing and More

There was a period of time, not too long ago, when the Southampton Village Board could be counted on to pass almost any resolution or legislation with a 5-0 vote. It happened so frequently, in fact, that many residents began to question if that kind of uniformity of thought was healthy for the village, or if it was a sign that the art of dissent had been lost, along with a willingness to thoughtfully examine both sides of any given issue. One thing’s been made clear in the second half of the calendar year — that period of smooth sailing ... 12 Dec 2025 by Cailin Riley

East Quogue Engineer's Dazzling Light Show Brings Joy and Raises Money for St. Jude Children's Hospital

​When Joseph Commisso was a child, growing up in East Quogue, he remembers making a ... by Cailin Riley

Southampton Police Reports for the Week of December 11

WESTHAMPTON BEACH — Dario Vasquez, 26, of Hampton Bays was arrested by Westhampton Beach Village Police on December 9 and charged with driving while ability impaired by alcohol, a misdemeanor. At 1:09 a.m., Police said they observed a blue Chevrolet Silverado traveling west on Mill Road in an unsafe manner by failing to maintain its designated lane. Officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Mill Road and Wayne Court. The driver exhibited signs of intoxication and was placed under arrest, according to police. FLANDERS — Walmer Santos-Alvarez, 25, of Riverhead was arrested by Southampton Town Police at about ... by Staff Writer

Southampton Community Packs a Truckload of Holiday Cheer for Families in Need

Southampton Town residents have once again shown their generosity by contributing to the Southampton Town ... by Staff Writer

Harmony for the Holidays

Let’s be real: As jolly as the holidays can be, they can also be overwhelming. ... by Jessie Kenny

Dear Neighbor

Congratulations on your new windows. They certainly are big. They certainly are see-through. You must be thrilled with the way they removed even more of that wall and replaced it with glass. It must make it easier to see what is going on in your house even when the internet is down. And security is everything. Which explains the windows. Nothing will make you feel more secure than imagining yourself looking over the rear-yard setback from these massive sheets of structural glass. Staring at the wall has well-known deleterious impact, and windows the size of movie screens are the bold ... 11 Dec 2025 by Marilee Foster

I Can Dish It Out

Our basement looks like the final scene in “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” where the (found) ark is crated and wheeled into the middle of a government warehouse with stacked crates going on for miles. In other words, we have a lot of stuff. This tracks. Mr. Hockey and I have been married for 36 (according to my calculator) years. We’ve had four (no calculator needed) pucks. We’ve lived in seven (according to my fingers) different homes in three (no calculator or fingers needed) countries. In 2010, we moved back to East Hampton full time. We brought everything we had ... by Tracy Grathwohl

The Urgency of Real

The Hamptons International Film Festival typically takes up a lot of oxygen in the fall on the South Fork, but it’s worth celebrating a slightly smaller but just as vital event in late autumn: the Hamptons Doc Fest. Running this week for its 18th year, the festival of documentaries was founded by Jacqui Lofaro and has become an essential part of the region’s arts scene every year. It’s a 12-month undertaking for Lofaro and her staff, and the result is always a tantalizing buffet of outstanding filmmaking, not to mention unforgettable stories. The arrival of the era of streaming services ... 10 Dec 2025 by Editorial Board

Proceed With Caution

Overlay districts are a common zoning tool used by many municipalities. Southampton Town has used them to varying degrees of success — the aquifer protection overlay district has been a winner; a downtown overlay district in Hampton Bays less so — in various parts of the town. They essentially look at the existing zoning, then allow those rules governing what can be done on properties to be reconsidered if there’s a newer concern to be addressed. In a bid to clean up the process for creating more affordable housing, the Town Board is looking at a new overlay district that ... by Editorial Board