Incident location, Long Island
What Happened
A 59-year-old Westhampton Beach woman was arrested on a drunk driving charge after crashing her car on Dune Road in Hampton Bays late Saturday night, according to the Southampton Town Police Department. Paula Constant was located at the scene of the crash at approximately 9:50 p.m. on Saturday, May 16, 2026, police said.
Officers and investigators responding to the scene determined that Constant was intoxicated at the time of the crash, leading to her arrest on site. She was arraigned the following day, Sunday, May 17, 2026. As AOL News reported, the Southampton Town Police Department identified Constant as “one of the drivers” present at the scene — language that suggests at least one other vehicle may have been involved in the collision — though authorities did not share further details about the nature or mechanics of the accident itself.
Police did not release information about injuries, vehicle types, or whether any passengers were present in either vehicle. The specific cause of the collision, road conditions at the time, and the direction of travel were not included in the department’s public statement. No bail information was made public as of the initial report.
Constant’s arrest was part of a notably active weekend for DWI enforcement across Southampton Town. According to AOL’s report on the incident, four additional individuals were arrested for drunk driving in separate, unrelated incidents during the same period: Raul Crespinponce, 45; Jefferson Macascosios, 30; Jaryd Amy, 26; and Juan Jimenez Villa, 37. Each of those four arrests occurred independently across Southampton Town and did not involve crashes. Constant was the only one among the five DWI arrests that weekend who was involved in a collision.
The five arrests collectively underscore heightened DWI enforcement activity in the Hamptons area as the region heads into peak summer season, when population density along the South Fork increases sharply and traffic enforcement resources are typically expanded.
Location & Road Context
Dune Road in Hampton Bays is a narrow, low-lying barrier strip that stretches along the Atlantic Ocean side of the Shinnecock Bay, connecting Hampton Bays to the broader network of South Shore beach communities. The road runs parallel to the ocean and is flanked on both sides by water — Shinnecock Bay to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south — making it an isolated corridor with limited escape routes in the event of a serious crash.
The road is a destination route heavily used in summer months by beachgoers, boaters, and residents of the many private homes and rental properties that line it. Nighttime driving conditions along Dune Road can be challenging: the road is largely unlit, features no median or shoulder in many stretches, and attracts heavy recreational traffic during warm-weather weekends. You can find more information about traffic conditions in Southampton Town through our roads section and Hampton Bays town page.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Paula Constant was arrested at the scene of the Dune Road crash on Saturday, May 16, after investigators with the Southampton Town Police Department concluded she was intoxicated. She was arraigned on Sunday, May 17, 2026 — the day following her arrest — according to the Southampton Town Police Department’s statement. No additional charges beyond the DWI charge have been publicly identified, and no information about bail, legal representation, or a next court date has been released at this time.
The Southampton Town Police Department has not indicated whether a blood alcohol content (BAC) test was administered or what results were obtained, nor has it specified which subdivision of New York’s DWI statutes — DWAI, standard DWI, or Aggravated DWI — Constant faces. Long Island Traffic will update this report as court records become available.
What This DWI Charge Means
Under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law §1192, impaired and intoxicated driving is prosecuted under several distinct tiers. A charge of Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) applies when a driver’s ability is impaired by alcohol but their BAC falls below 0.08%; it is a traffic infraction rather than a crime but still carries fines and a 90-day license suspension. A standard DWI charge applies when a driver’s BAC reaches 0.08% or above, or when they are found to be intoxicated regardless of a specific BAC reading — this is a misdemeanor on a first offense and carries fines of $500–$1,000, a minimum six-month license revocation, and the possibility of up to one year in jail. An Aggravated DWI charge applies when a driver’s BAC reaches 0.18% or higher, carrying steeper fines and longer revocation periods.
For a first-offense DWI conviction in New York, a driver also faces mandatory enrollment in the New York State Drinking Driver Program, installation of an ignition interlock device on any vehicle they own or operate, and a surcharge that can reach $400 or more. Repeat offenses escalate rapidly: a second DWI within ten years becomes a class E felony, with fines up to $5,000 and potential prison time of up to four years. The consequences extend beyond criminal court — a DWI conviction generates a lasting record with the New York State DMV that can affect insurance rates, employment, and professional licensing.
Drivers who refuse to submit to a chemical test (breathalyzer or blood test) upon lawful arrest in New York face automatic consequences under the state’s implied consent law: a one-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty for a first refusal, regardless of whether a criminal conviction follows. Refusal can also be used as evidence against a defendant in court proceedings.
Broader Impact
The timing of this arrest — mid-May, just as the Hamptons summer season ramps up — places it in a period when the Southampton Town Police Department typically increases DWI patrols and sobriety checkpoints along high-traffic corridors like Dune Road. The fact that five DWI arrests occurred across Southampton Town in a single weekend, with one resulting in a crash, reflects the elevated risk environment that local law enforcement manages each summer along the South Fork. Drivers headed to or from Hampton Bays beach areas should be aware that enforcement activity in this corridor remains active and visible throughout the season.
Case Status & Updates
An arrest and criminal charge represent an accusation under the law. Paula Constant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. Her case is expected to proceed through the local New York district court system serving Southampton Town and the broader Suffolk County court structure.
Long Island Traffic monitors DWI cases through the public court record and updates each report as new developments become available — including arraignment outcomes, entered pleas, pre-trial motions, and sentencing. If you have information about this case or have witnessed updated proceedings, contact us through our site. Check back on this page for the latest case status as it moves through the courts.