Riverhead Police Say They Have Their Guy

Riverhead Police said on January 18 they may have arrested a person they think is responsible for rifling through numerous vacant cars in Wading River.

In recent weeks complaints have flooded in: someone rummaging through vehicles on Herod Point Road, Berry Lane, and Maple Road in Wading River in the past week alone. Additional incidents occurred on Maple Road and North Wading River Road on January 13, and the thief made off with enough to trigger multiple larceny counts.

Patrick Fontaine, 36, is the man responsible, police said. So far, he’s been charged with criminal trespass in the second degree and unlawful possession of marijuana.

Fontaine is no novice, according to police reports. Suffolk County Police arrested him for a string of residential burglaries in 2015.

In December of that year, Fontaine was charged with four counts of second-degree burglary, two counts of second-degree attempted burglary, and one count of petit larceny for incidents that occurred at residences in the Colonial Woods and Whispering Pines apartment complexes in Yaphank between August and December.

Fontaine lived at the Rutledge Commons complex at the time and was accused of robbing some of his neighbors there.

In other North Fork police news, Rene Titi-Chamle, 27, of Peconic, was arrested for driving while intoxicated Saturday, January 12, around 8:30 PM by Southold Town Police after he allegedly failed roadside sobriety tests. Police said they spotted him speeding and swerving between lanes on Route 48 in Mattituck. There was also reportedly an open bottle of alcohol in the vehicle. Titi-Chamle could not produce a valid license, police added. It all added up to a night in jail and an arraignment the following morning.

Police said they saw Antonio Morales-Boyate, 30, of Greenport traveling westbound on Front Street in Greenport tailgating a vehicle, and then watched him pass that vehicle on the right-hand side, in a no-passing zone. He was then arrested on Sunday, January 13 around 1:15 AM for DWI after police ascertained he had been drinking excessively. Morales-Boyate didn’t have a license either, police added.

Maureen Lademann of Cutchogue was arrested for DWI January 14 around 6:30 PM. She allegedly ran a stop sign on Route 25 in Mattituck and failed
sobriety tests after being pulled over.

Southampton Town Police arrested Jameula Carter, 37, of Riverhead on January 9 for criminal possession of a controlled substance after he was allegedly spotted “stumbling southbound down Old Quogue Road.” Police said PCP was the culprit, but he had an open bottle of vodka as well. After searching him, police found Carter in possession of two Newport cigarettes dipped in PCP. Carter was arrested and charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and two violations.

Kristen Davis, 35, of Manorville was arrested in Riverside Sunday night after police ascertained she was driving without a license — and it wasn’t the first time. Police said that her driving privilege was suspended on four different occasions. Davis was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, and two violations.

Jonathan Villaortega, 27, of Riverhead was arrested on January 15 just before midnight for driving while intoxicated, according to reports. A passing motorist reported an erratic driver on, guess where — Flanders Road, of course. Police, ever vigilant in that neck of the woods, located the vehicle on Cross River Drive in Aquebogue and eventually charged Villaortega with DWI. 

rmurphy@indyeastend.com