Accident Sends Two To Hospital

A Springs man facing criminal charges remained in the hospital Monday after a four-vehicle accident May 16 on Woods Lane near its intersection with Main Street.

According to the East Hampton Village Police, Joseph Field, 27, was headed east while driving a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado pickup when he slammed into the rear of 2001 Dodge pickup that was stopped in traffic, waiting to make the turn onto Main Street. The impact was hard enough to propel the Dodge into the vehicle in front of it, a 2010 Ford Suburban, which then rear-ended a 2011 Dodge sedan.

Field was in an East Hampton Village ambulance being treated for an injured, possibly broken, arm when police arrived. As police spoke with him, they said that his speech was lethargic, and he had trouble maintaining his train of thought.

Cops said he was found to be in possession of a controlled drug and he was charged with driving with ability impaired by drugs, as well as one count of criminal possession. Both crimes were charged at the misdemeanor level. He was also written up for driving at an unsafe speed, tailgating, and having an unsafe tire. Field’s truck was impounded by police.

Because of his condition, police released Field so that he could be treated at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. It is not clear from the redacted report whether he consented to allow police have a nurse draw blood to test the level of drugs in his system.

His arraignment, which had been scheduled for May 21, is now to take place June 7.

The driver of the 2001 Dodge, T. M. Scutti-Dunne, was also taken to the hospital where she was treated and released.