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Man caught driving 102 mph pleads not guilty to felony drug charges

Cirello

A Riverhead man pled not guilty Saturday in Southold Town Justice Court to felony charges stemming from his arrest in Cutchogue where police pulled him over speeding and found he was hiding narcotics in his pants, Southold Town officials said.

Daniel Cirello, 26, was caught driving 102 mph westbound on Route 48 at around 6:30 a.m. on Friday and failed to stay within his lane and didn’t use signals to change lanes, Southold Town police said. The speed limit there is 55 mph, officials said.

Mr. Cirello was pulled over near the intersection of Route 48 and Horseshoe Drive and police found he had slurred speech and his eyes were bloodshot and glassy, police said. He was also drooling and “having a hard time walking and staying awake,” and failed a sobriety test, police said.

During the investigation, police also found Mr. Cirello concealed narcotics in his pants, officials said.

He was arrested and charged with possession of narcotics by weight and possession of narcotics with intent to sell, both felonies, and three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance of heroin, Xanax and Suboxone, officials said.

Mr. Cirello was also charged with third degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reckless driving, speeding, failure to maintain lane of travel and failure to signal multiple lane changes, police said.

He was taken to Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport for a blood test, officials said.

During his arraignment, Mr. Cirello pled not guilty to all charges and Southold Town Justice William Price set bail at $30,000 cash or $75,000 bond, officials said.

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Photo: Daniel Cirello. (Credit: Southold Town police)