What Happened
Mateo Jimenez, 38, of Westhampton, was charged with driving while intoxicated after a two-car collision on Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays on Friday, August 29, 2026, according to News 12 Long Island. Officers responded to a report of the crash at approximately 8:51 p.m.
Upon arriving and investigating, police determined Jimenez was intoxicated and arrested him at the scene, News 12 Long Island reported. He was processed and held for morning arraignments. No injuries were reported, and police did not release details about the occupants or condition of the second vehicle involved.
No additional details — including the specific location on Montauk Highway, vehicle types, direction of travel, or BAC reading — were provided by police as of the report’s publication at 6:32 a.m. on August 29, 2026.
Location & Road Context
Montauk Highway is a major east-west artery running through the South Shore of Suffolk County, carrying heavy summer traffic through Hampton Bays and into the East End. The corridor sees consistent enforcement activity, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer season.
Hampton Bays has been the site of multiple DWI incidents in recent months. An Aug. 11 arrest involved a drunk driver who fled a crash and was stopped down the road. Three weeks earlier, on Aug. 3, a driver faced a felony charge after police said he had a 13-year-old in the car.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Jimenez was charged under New York law with driving while intoxicated and held for morning arraignments following his arrest. No arraignment date, bail amount, or court designation was released in the initial police account.
Police did not report whether a breathalyzer or blood test was administered, or whether a chemical test refusal was noted. Long Island Traffic will update this report as arraignment and case records become available.
What This DWI Charge Means
New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 defines three tiers of impaired driving offenses. DWAI (Driving While Ability Impaired) under § 1192.1 applies when a driver’s ability is impaired by alcohol but the BAC is below 0.08; it is a traffic infraction, not a crime. DWI under § 1192.2 requires a BAC of 0.08 or higher and is a misdemeanor on a first offense. Aggravated DWI under § 1192.2-a applies at a BAC of 0.18 or higher and carries steeper penalties from the first offense.
A first-offense misdemeanor DWI in New York carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, a minimum six-month license revocation, a mandatory surcharge, and possible jail time up to one year. The court also requires installation of an ignition interlock device on any vehicle the convicted driver operates or owns. A second DWI within 10 years is an E felony, with fines up to $5,000 and a minimum one-year revocation. Drivers who refuse a chemical test face an automatic one-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty under New York’s implied consent law, separate from any criminal proceedings.
Case Status & Updates
An arrest and a criminal charge are accusations. Mateo Jimenez is presumed innocent unless and until convicted in court. The case will proceed through arraignment in the appropriate Suffolk County district court, followed by pretrial proceedings and, if not resolved earlier, trial.
Long Island Traffic tracks DWI cases through the courts and updates each report when arraignment outcomes, pleas, and sentencing become part of the public record. Check back on this page for further developments as they are confirmed.