Southold Blotter: Underage drinking operation leads to two arrests

An underage drinking operation led to two arrests at local businesses.

New York State Police, with the assistance of the New York State Liquor Authority, conducted the operation in Southold Town Nov. 29. Two businesses were cited for selling alcoholic beverages to an undercover state police operative under the age of 21.

Police arrested Nicole Ekhardt, 32, of Greenport, who was a bartender at Lucharitos in Greenport. Police also arrested Karen Berry, 42, of Hampton Bays, a bartender at the Broken Down Valise in Mattituck. They were both charged with first degree unlawful dealing with a child, a misdemeanor, and prohibited sale of an alcoholic beverage.

• A Cutchogue business owner reported graffiti on her store windows last Monday, police said. She found her front windows had “closed” and “out of business” on them, according to a Southold Town police report.

• A Greenport woman said on Nov. 11 an unknown person stole a bicycle from her garage, and sometime last Sunday, someone removed the plates from two boat trailers, police said.

• While on patrol on Westphalia Road in Mattituck last Wednesday around 8:17 p.m., an officer observed a “Slow, Children at Play” sign with graffiti on it, according to police reports.

• A Greenport man was driving southbound at a high rate of speed when he exited the roadway in front of a residence at Grandview Drive and struck a retaining wall in the driveway, police said. The car then went airborne and struck the retaining wall on the other side of the driveway and came to rest in front of another residence on Grandview Drive. Both occupants of the car were transported to a local hospital around 4:30 p.m., officials said.

• A Cutchogue man called police when he started to smell gas in his location last Monday around 5:40 p.m., police said. The Cutchogue Fire Department responded and found high levels of carbon monoxide. National Grid was called to assist.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.