Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 25-year-old man was arrested for drunk driving at the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in upstate New York after allegedly showing up intoxicated to pick up a friend who had just been released following a DWI arrest of his own, according to The New York Post.
Antone Gilonna, 25, drove to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office to retrieve his friend from police custody. As he pulled into the facility’s public parking lot, Gilonna allegedly veered into a restricted area, which drew the attention of a deputy sheriff on site. That deputy briefly interacted with Gilonna and suspected he was intoxicated, per the MCSO news release as cited by the New York Post.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Officers then administered two field sobriety tests. Gilonna failed both. He was subsequently placed under arrest for DWI, leaving his friend — who had just been released after his own DWI arrest — stranded without the ride he was counting on.
While the sheriff’s office did not disclose Gilonna’s exact test figures, he was charged with driving with a BAC of 0.08% or higher. It is worth noting that New York State’s legal limit is 0.04% — meaning Gilonna’s alleged BAC was at least double the threshold at which a driver is considered legally impaired under state law.
Complicating matters further, Gilonna was not legally permitted to be behind the wheel at all. According to the sheriff’s office, his New York State driver’s license had previously been revoked due to a prior DWI-related conviction and a chemical test refusal — meaning this was not his first encounter with drunk driving charges.
Location & Road Context
The incident unfolded entirely within the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office public parking lot in upstate New York, not on a public roadway. Montgomery County is located in the Mohawk Valley region of New York State. While this incident is outside Long Island proper, drunk driving enforcement and repeat offender patterns remain a significant issue across New York State, including on Long Island roads.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Gilonna was charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed operation, and regular unlicensed operator, according to The New York Post. He was released the same day as his arrest and ordered to appear before Glen Town Court on a date the sheriff’s office did not specify. The MCSO confirmed Gilonna has at least one prior DWI-related conviction on his record.
Broader Impact
Under New York State law, a second DWI conviction is classified as an E felony, carrying potential penalties of up to four years in prison — a notably steeper consequence than a first-offense misdemeanor. Gilonna’s prior conviction and license revocation history means prosecutors may seek elevated charges. Drivers with prior DWI convictions in New York face significantly harsher sentencing guidelines upon repeat offenses.