A Riverhead woman assaulted a sheriff’s deputy when he tried to arrest her for driving while intoxicated last night, according to the office of the Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon.
The sheriff’s office said at about 10:10 p.m., sheriff’s deputies pulled over Daniela Pintado, 21, for speeding through the a traffic circle and failing to maintain a lane of travel in Riverhead.
Pintado showed signs of intoxication and the deputies attempted to administer a field sobriety test, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office, which said Pintado was “aggressive and volatile” and attempted to walk away from the officers.
Pintado physically assaulted the deputy, punching him in the face, according to the release. She also bit his index finger, flailed her arms and kicked him as he attempted to place her in handcuffs. As a result, the deputy sustained injuries to his face and right index finger which required him to receive medical treatment at the hospital.
Pintado was transported to the hospital where the medical examiner drew her blood, the sheriff’s office said. She was treated and released.
Pintado was charged with Assault in the Second Degree, Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, Resisting Arrest, and Driving While Intoxicated.
“I will not tolerate instances of assaults on my staff, whether they occur in the community or in the correctional facilities,” Toulon said. “We will seek to have this defendant prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Editor’s note: A criminal charge is an accusation. A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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