New arrest as Suffolk eyes wrong-way drivers

On the day Suffolk police arrested the alleged ninth impaired driver of the past five weeks to drive the wrong way on a major Long Island road, county officials promised to step up enforcement efforts through the end of the year.

A Suffolk County legislator also introduced a bill Monday that would require the county to examine whether road improvements could help mitigate wrong-way driving.

Suffolk is employing 17 patrols for impaired drivers, an increase of seven patrols from typical levels, Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy said. The county is also utilizing greater patrols at "confusing entrance and exit ramps" and monitoring traffic with helicopter patrols, Levy said.

Levy's announcement came on the day Suffolk police arrested Alicia Tysz, 28, of Ridge after, police said, she drove the wrong way while drunk on eastbound Route 25 in Middle Island. Tysz, the second impaired wrong-way driver arrest over the weekend in Suffolk County, was stopped at 2 a.m. Monday, police said.

"We've been especially concerned about these wrong-way drivers," Levy said. "We're not sure if they are just being reported more or if it's some type of an anomaly, but they all have one thing in common - they were drunk."

The first of the latest wrong-way incidents occurred Nov. 15. Off-duty NYPD Officer Andre Menzies of North Babylon was killed after, police said, his car was hit head-on by an accused wrong-way drunken driver on the Northern State Parkway in Dix Hills. Since the day before Thanksgiving, Suffolk's DWI team has made 63 DWI arrests and issued 114 summonses, a county source said.

A Brentwood checkpoint on Sunday night resulted in three DWI arrests and 20 summonses, the source said.

Levy also said Monday that Lindy's Taxi will be offering free rides home to people who are drinking at bars or parties between now and New Year's Day.

Meanwhile, Legis. Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) issued a statement that the county could minimize "through engineering the potential that someone can get onto a highway and travel in the wrong direction for extended periods."

Cilmi's statement calls for the county's public works department to issue a study examining whether road improvements could reduce wrong-way driving. The statement also said that "clearly this problem has its roots in drunk driving."

During her arraignment Monday, Tysz rocked back and forth as she sat handcuffed in the Central Islip courtroom. She was charged with driving while ability impaired and several traffic infractions, and received a license suspension.

Police have said Tysz was impaired by a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol. She is due back in court on Dec. 28.

Nassau police said they do not plan to take any special steps to curb wrong-way driving during the holiday season. State Police did not return a phone call seeking comment.