SPARTA – Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty reports the arrest of a Dansville resident on DWI and Felony AUO charges following an investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
On March 28th, 2023 at approximately 5:45 pm, Deputy Jason Page conducted a traffic stop with a vehicle on Groveland Station Road, in the Town of Sparta, for a violation of Vehicle and Traffic Law.The operator of the vehicle was identified as Carmelo Lopez, age 36. from Dansville.
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During the encounter, the Deputy Sheriff suspected that Lopez was under the influence of alcohol. The Deputy Sheriff did conduct a DWI investigation
which included the performance of standardized field sobriety tests. At the conclusion of the roadside investigation,Lopez was taken into custody for DWI.
Lopez was then transported to the Sheriff’s Office Headquarters in Geneseo, where he was offered a breathalyzer to determine his blood alcohol content (BAC). Deputy Heather Benjamin, of the Jail Division, did administer the test which revealed that Lopez had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .11%.
A records check revealed that Lopez’s driving privileges in NYS had been suspended due to a previous DWAI related conviction in September of 2022, making this arrest a Felony.
Lopez was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, felony Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the 1st Degree, as well as additional violations of the NYS Vehicle & Traffic Law.
Lopez was transported and turned over to Central Booking Deputies at the Livingston County Jail for processing and pre arraignment detention. The District Attorney’s Office was contacted in regards to bail due to the felony level charges. It was recommended that Lopez be released on his own recognizance, as the charges do not qualify for bail under the NYS Justice Reform Act.
Lopez was later arraigned at the Livingston County Centralized Arraignment Part (LC-CAP) at the Livingston County Jail before Avon Justice Hoffman. The Judge released Lopez on his own recognizance to return to court at a later date per the law.
