Buffalo, NY – Erie County Sheriff Timothy B. Howard reports Deputies made three separate impaired driving arrests yesterday and in the overnight hours.

March 3, 10:24 a.m.; Town of Grand Island – Sheriff’s Office Drug Recognition Expert, Deputy Biegasiewicz, was patrolling Whitehaven Road when he initiated a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle.  The DRE determined the operator, Ryan Kennedy – 19 of Grand Island, was driving while impaired by drugs.  The subject was arrested and charged with DWI-drugs, speeding and unlawful possession of marijuana.  Kennedy was issued appearance tickets and was released to a third party.

March 3, 11:14 p.m.; Town of Clarence – Deputy Rozycki initiated a traffic stop after the license plate reader indicated a vehicle traveling on Transit Road had a suspended registration.  Deputy Rozycki observed signs of impairment and requested Sheriff’s DRE, Deputy Nati, to perform an evaluation.  It was determined that Philip Steffan, 36 of Buffalo, was impaired by drugs was he arrested and charged with DWI-drugs, operating a vehicle with a suspended registration and operating a vehicle without insurance.  Due to a pending Aggravated DWI case in Clarence, the defendant was taken to the Erie County Holding Center pending his arraignment.

March 4, 3:23 a.m.; Village of Depew – Deputy Zamorek observed a vehicle make an unsafe turn, drift over the centerline and then over the fog line.  At that time, the Deputy initiated a traffic stop and began speaking with the operator.  The Deputy detected a strong odor of alcohol and administered field sobriety tests which Bethany Lange, 41 of Depew, failed.  The subject was taken to the Elma Substation for further processing and at this time, she refused to submit to a chemical test.  Lange was arrested and charged with Felony DWI due to a previous conviction, a felony charge of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle, operating a vehicle without an interlock device, drinking alcohol in a vehicle and various vehicle and traffic violations. The defendant was taken to the Erie County Holding Center pending her arraignment in Village of Depew Court.