Police

Police: Drunken Greenport driver crashed into another crash

Police say the crash happened just west of Hortons Lane. (Credit: Google Maps)
Police say the crash happened just west of Hortons Lane. (Credit: Google Maps)

Two Good Samaritans helped rescue an 18-year-old woman who flipped her vehicle off the road during white-out conditions in Southold Sunday night, Southold Town police said.

But soon after, a 32-year-old Greenport man was arrested for driving drunk after he slid off the road and struck one of the men helping her, according to a police news release.

Southold police officer Robert Bopp said the first accident occurred about 8:30 p.m., when Southold resident Kelsea Cassone’s vehicle overturned on Route 48 west of Hortons Lane.

Kevin Grattan, 58, of Southold drove past the crash soon after the accident and stopped to help. Chet Ciaglo, 43, also of Southold was out plowing snow for a landscaping company when he also came upon the crash and helped.

Mr. Ciaglo and Mr. Grattan helped the 18-year-old driver from the vehicle and brought her into one of their trucks to get warm.

But while they were helping Ms. Cassone, another car — driven by 32-year-old Christopher Young of Greenport — slid off the road, hitting Mr. Grattan.

Luckily, Mr. Grattan wasn’t hurt, Mr. Bopp said.

Police and emergency teams got to the scene soon after.

Mr. Young was arrested and charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated. Ms. Cassone was taken to Eastern Long Island Hospital to be treated for non life-threatening injuries.

Mr. Bopp said first responders didn’t even know about the accident when Mr. Ciaglo and Mr. Grattan first appeared on scene to help. The police officer said without the two help of those two men, the crash victim may have suffered in the cold.

“You can imagine [what it’s like] standing in snow when it’s 1 degrees,” Mr. Bopp said. “Both of these guys did a fantastic job.”

A 32-year-old Greenport man was arrested for driving drunk following a crash in Southold Sunday night, Southold police said.