Two Face Felony Drug Charges After Traffic Stop In Sag Harbor

Two people face felony drug charges after a traffic stop in Sag Harbor on Sunday. Bernard J. Kulick, 28, of San Diego, California, and Veronica M. Zill, 23, of East Hampton were arrested by Sag Harbor Village Police on December 30 at 5:22 p.m. on Suffolk Street Extension and are both charged with multiple felonies involving criminal possession of a controlled substance, including a class A-1 felony for possession of more than 8 ounces of a controlled substance, and a class B felony with intent to sell. According to the arrest reports, Ms. Zill was driving a green 2004 GMC Yukon north on Main Street with an expired inspection certificate. She failed to signal right from Main Street onto Jermain Avenue before continuing east on Jermain Avenue, the report stated. Police said an officer pulled over the vehicle and noticed a strong odor of marijuana. Mr. Kulick admitted to the officer that he had smoked marijuana earlier in the day while in the vehicle, according to the report. A search of the car uncovered one large plastic baggie containing narcotics in a black duffel bag in the rear seat, and four small plastic bags containing marijuana were found under the passenger-side dashboard, the report stated. While police continued to search the car, a strong burning smell began to emit from the engine compartment. The car was shut off and the hood was opened to ensure there was not a fire, police said. The officer uncovered a large plastic bag containing marijuana, in addition to a black Apache 1800 camera case that was smoking. A check of the camera case produced a large amount of narcotics, police said. When Ms. Zill was informed that she was being placed under arrest and the officer asked if there was anything else on her person, she produced from her vagina two plastic bags containing empty glassine envelopes and said that she also had marijuana within her vagina but was unable to retrieve it, police said. She was transported to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, where a plastic bag containing marijuana was removed by hospital staff. Ms. Zill was released from the hospital and transported to Sag Harbor Village Police headquarters, where she was processed. She was held at East Hampton Village Police headquarters for morning arraignment due to her co-defendant, Mr. Kulick, being held at Sag Harbor Village Police headquarters. Mr. Kulick was transported to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital after complaining of withdrawal symptoms and was released from the hospital a short while after and then held by police for morning arraignment.Both were charged with one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree, one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree and one count of criminal possession of marijuana in the third degree, all felonies. Mr. Kulcik was additionally charged with one count of criminally using drug paraphernalia in the second degree, a misdemeanor, and Ms. Zill was additionally charged with criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a misdemeanor.