What Happened
Julio Zelaya, 39, of Copiague was arrested and charged with felony driving while intoxicated after Suffolk County police say he crashed his 2004 Acura TL into a marked police patrol unit at the intersection of Montauk Highway and Hawkins Boulevard in Copiague at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday, according to Newsday. The crash injured both Zelaya and the officer behind the wheel of the patrol car.
Police say Zelaya was driving the Acura eastbound on Montauk Highway when he attempted a left turn onto Hawkins Boulevard. A westbound patrol car driven by Suffolk Police Officer Jordan Tozitsky, 32, was in the intersection at the same moment. The two vehicles collided head-on in the turn.
Both men were transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip. Police described the injuries sustained by Zelaya and Tozitsky as non-life-threatening.
Following a post-crash investigation, police arrested Zelaya and charged him with DWI with a previous conviction of the designated offense within 10 years. That prior conviction, falling within a 10-year lookback window, converts what would otherwise be an A misdemeanor into a felony charge under New York law. Zelaya faces arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip. As of the August 28 report, no arraignment date had been set and it was not clear whether he had retained counsel, Newsday reported.
Location & Road Context
Montauk Highway (NY-27A) through Copiague is a high-volume commercial corridor running east-west through the south shore of Suffolk County. The intersection at Hawkins Boulevard is a signalized cross-street serving both residential neighborhoods to the north and south and retail along the highway. Our incident database contains 856 recorded accidents in Suffolk County, making it one of the most crash-active counties on Long Island.
Investigation & Legal Proceedings
Zelaya’s felony charge is formally DWI with a prior conviction of the designated offense within 10 years, a class E felony under New York Vehicle and Traffic Law. Suffolk County police conducted the on-scene investigation before placing him under arrest. His case will proceed through Suffolk County’s First District Court in Central Islip, where arraignment is the next scheduled step. No plea has been entered. Long Island Traffic will update this report when arraignment, bail, and any plea information become part of the public record.
What This DWI Charge Means
New York Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1192 establishes three levels of impairment-based driving offenses. DWAI (§ 1192.1) covers any impairment by alcohol, is a traffic infraction, and carries fines up to $500 and a 90-day license suspension for a first offense. DWI (§ 1192.2) requires a BAC of 0.08 or higher, is an A misdemeanor on the first offense, and brings fines of $500–$1,000, a minimum six-month revocation, and up to one year in jail. Aggravated DWI (§ 1192.2-a) applies at 0.18 BAC or higher and carries steeper fines and a mandatory one-year revocation.
When a driver carries a prior DWI conviction within 10 years, as Zelaya does, a new DWI charge escalates to a class E felony. A conviction on a felony DWI in New York means fines of $1,000–$5,000, a minimum 18-month revocation, mandatory ignition interlock device installation, and up to four years in state prison. The court also requires enrollment in the Impaired Driver Program.
Refusing a chemical test at the time of arrest triggers its own consequences under New York’s implied-consent law: an automatic one-year license revocation and a $500 civil penalty for a first refusal, independent of any criminal outcome. A second refusal within five years brings an 18-month revocation and a $750 penalty.
Case Status & Updates
An arrest and criminal charge are accusations. Julio Zelaya is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. His case is expected to be arraigned in First District Court in Central Islip and will proceed through Suffolk County criminal court from there.
Long Island Traffic tracks DWI cases filed in Suffolk County through the courts and will update this report with Zelaya’s arraignment date, any bail determination, subsequent pleas, and sentencing as those become part of the public record. Readers with information about this case can follow coverage at Newsday.
Updates
- Aug 28, 2026: Additional reporting merged into this article: “Suffolk County police officer hospitalized after alleged drunk driver slams into patrol car in Copiague” (source)