DUI Arrest Made at Sandy Hook School Checkpoint

Police arrested a Monroe man for DUI during a stop at the security checkpoint at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Fan Hill Road Wednesday evening.

At around 5:50 p.m., police said someone told an officer that another driver was tailgating, following closely behind his vehicle for about one-and-a-half miles. Then police said the driver the man had been complaining about pulled up directly in front of the officer and the barricades at the school checkpoint.

The officer spoke to the driver, James F. Dinneen, 60, of Georges Lane, smelled the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on him and noticed his eyes were bloodshot and glossy, police said. She called another officer to administer field sobriety tests to Dinneen.

Police said the test results showed Dinneen was under the influence, leading to his arrest, adding breath tests at headquarters showed a blood alcohol level over the legal limit.

Dinneen was released on $500 bond or an Oct. 7 court date.