A 60-year-old Riverhead woman is facing DWI and leaving the scene charges after crashing into five parked cars, and striking a house Sunday evening, according to Riverhead Town police and justice court records.
Tammy Robinkoff was operating a 2013 Honda Fit at about 7:16 p.m. when she struck the first parked car in the area of 131 W. Main St., according to the documents. She left the scene of the crash, continuing eastbound on Main Street. She hit the second parked vehicle as she drove northbound on Sunrise Avenue and again continued on, turning eastbound on Further Lane, according to a witness affidavit in the court file.
At about 7:19 p.m., Robinkoff then struck the rear passenger side of a car parked in the street in front of 27 Further Lane, then drove in reverse onto the driveway at 27 Further Lane, hitting a second vehicle parked near the end of the driveway, according to an accident report prepared by police and obtained from the town court. She continued in reverse, striking a basketball hoop near the house and the door of the attached garage. Robinkoff drove forward across the lawn and clipped a utility pole as she proceeded east on Further Lane.
She then crashed into the rear driver’s side of another vehicle parked on Further Lane and continued to drive east, coming to a stop about 75 feet west of Daly Drive, the accident report on the final crash states.
Robinkoff told police she had been at the VFW in Riverhead for two or three hours prior to the string of incidents, according to a police officer’s deposition filed with the charges. The misdemeanor information charging her with driving while intoxicated states that Robinkoff reported drinking “6 Coors Lights” at the VFW.
The final parked vehicle struck on Further Lane was an SUV, according to the accident report. The impact of that crash caused the vehicle’s gas tank to leak. The Riverhead Fire Department responded to the scene for clean-up. PSEG responded to check on the utility pole. A Riverhead Town Fire Marshal also responded.
There were no reported injuries. Robinkoff was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center. The reason for the transport was not stated in the court records reviewed. She was arraigned on the DWI charge at the hospital just before 9 p.m.
Residents who heard tires screeching and the sounds of crashes said they went outside to see what was happening. In interviews Wednesday, several residents expressed disbelief at what went on and questioned why nothing was being reported about what one neighbor described as “mayhem” and another “carnage.”
Riverhead Police Chief Ed Frost said in a text message Tuesday that the police department “routinely does not issue press releases for incidents of this nature.” He said all incidents are thoroughly investigated and “the decision to release information is in accordance with departmental policy and integrity of investigations.” Asked if he would release information in an interview, Frost declined. “I will not be making a statement. Individuals can FOIL for the reports,” he said.
Robinkoff is a longtime Further Lane resident. She serves as chair of the Riverhead Republican Committee.
A witness who lives on Sunrise Avenue provided Riverhead Police with a sworn statement. In it, the witness said they recognized Robinkoff, behind the wheel of the Honda and saw her car hit multiple vehicles before coming to a stop near the other end of Further Lane.
Another neighbor said in an interview that two children who live at 27 Further Lane “are always playing in the driveway” and the older child is often playing basketball there. It was very lucky they were inside when this happened, the neighbor said.
Robinkoff could not be reached for comment this afternoon.
Further Lane was shut down for about two hours while the gas spill was cleaned up and vehicles were towed away, neighbors said. A total of four vehicles, including Robinkoff’s, were towed from the scene on Further Lane, according to accident reports filed with the court.
She is scheduled to appear in court on June 3.
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.
This story was amended post-publication to correct the model year of the Honda Fit. Police reports stated two different years.
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