Crimes Nearby: Southampton Man Drove 90 MPH, High, Cops Say

Editor's Note: The following information was provided by police agencies on the East End and elsewhere. A criminal charge does not imply a conviction.

A round-up of recent notable arrests and incidents from other areas on the East End:

EAST HAMPTON

• Robert C. Czaplinski, 25, of Southampton, was arrested in East Hampton Village, after allegedly fleeing from police during a traffic stop while driving under the influence of drugs on Jan. 27.

Village police said they saw a 1994 BMW going north on Main Street, near Newtown Lane, without headlights on at about 2 a.m. Police said the driver tried to evade them, despite lights and sirens being on. He continued traveling east on Pantigo Road, and when he entered Amagansett's Main Street, he was traveling about 50 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone, according to police. He also swerved over the double yellow lines several times, police said.

By the time he reached the Napeague Stretch, he was traveling 90 miles per hour, police said. He begun crossing over onto the shoulder, changing speeds from 60 to 20 miles per hour, they said. He eventually came to a stop. East Hampton Town police were also on scene.

Czaplinski was charged with unlawfully fleeing a police officer in the third-degree, reckless driving, operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third-degree, all misdemeanors, and several traffic violations, including speeding.

East Hampton Town Justice Lisa R. Rana set bail at $6,000 bail.

• Michael E. Russell, a former star point guard for the East Hampton High School basketball team who has been in and out of trouble over the past five years, , where he was attending college.

Russell, 22, entered an apartment with two other masked men — one of the three men reportedly had a gun, according to Worcester police. They demanded money from four Worcester Polytechnic Institute students, some of whom they ordered to get to the floor while others were moved elsewhere in the apartment, at about 1:20 a.m., police said.

Police said one victim fought back, struggling with one of the suspects, and pulled down his mask. That's when the suspects reportedly fled in a vehicle.

RIVERHEAD

• Several dumpster fires were reported in Riverhead between Saturday and Tuesday.

According to Riverhead police, a call was received on Tuesday at 6:34 a.m. about two fires, located in dumpsters at the east and north sides of the Eastern Harley Davidson buiding on Route 58. The fires were extinguished by the Riverhead Fire Department, police said.

Tuesday's dumpster fires follow five in Riverhead since Saturday, including a fire in a trash compactor behind T.J. Maxx on Route 58 on Saturday. Police and the Riverhead Town Fire Marshal's office are investigating the incidents.

Similar dumpster fires have also been reported in Westhampton Beach and Hampton Bays.

WESTHAMPTON-HAMPTON BAYS

• Southampton Town fire marshals are also investigating a series of dumpster fires that were reported over the weekend in its jurisdiction.

Firefighters from across the area were at the scene of a total of 10 dumpster fires between Riverhead and Westhampton; five in Riverhead, three in Hampton Bays and two in Westhampton Beach.

"It seemed really suspicious that there were two dumpsters on fire at the same time that were 100 feet apart," said Chip Bancroft, the chief of the Westhampton Beach Fire Department.

NORTH FORK

• A Southold Town police K9 unit was called to the scene of a reported gun threat incident at Mr. Roberts Convenience Store in Greenport on Jan. 23 at 9:43 p.m., Police Chief Martin Flatley confirmed last week.

The K-9 unit searched the area and did find a pellet gun, but the weapon could not be tied to a specific person’s possession, the chief said.

“It ended up that the victim could not substantiate a charge,” Flatley said.