SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — Maura Davis Gropper, 68, was arrested by Sag Harbor Village Police on Saturday afternoon on a misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child, as defined in the law as anyone under the age of 17, as well as on a violation charge of harassment in the second degree. The East Hampton woman was waiting for a space to open to park on Main Street, police said, and was blocking traffic. Two traffic control officers, both under the age of 17, approached the vehicle and told Davis Gropper she needed to move on because she was blocking traffic, the report states. Davis Gropper replied that she wanted to park in the space she was waiting for, the report indicates. The TCOs then began writing a traffic summons for Davis Gropper, the report says. At that point, Davis Gropper began moving the vehicle forward toward the two traffic control officers, who put up their hands to order her to stop, but she kept moving, striking both of the TCOs, one in the knee, the other in the left leg, with her front bumper, police said. The two stepped away from Davis Gropper’s vehicle toward the center of Main Street while the woman parked her car, police said. According to the report, Davis Gropper got out of her car after she parked, and walked up to the two TCOs, waving a gum wrapper. She is quoted as telling one of the TCOs.”Do you know where the nearest garbage is?” She then is said to have grabbed the other TCO “by the collar in a forceful manner and attempted to shove the rapper down his shirt,” the report reads. While one of the TCOs said afterward that he was not injured, the other one complained of a sore knee, where he had been struck. The father of one of the TCOs told police that he wanted charges to be pressed against Davis Gropper. Police then placed her under arrest, and she was taken to East Hampton Village Police headquarters to be fingerprinted, after which Davis Gropper was released from custody, with an appearance ticket to be arraigned in Sag Harbor Village Justice court next month.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — Police arrested James F Cottingham III early Friday morning on misdemeanor charges of DWI. Police said Cottingham was driving a 2017 GMC Terrain on Main Street, moving at 44 mph where the posted speed limit is 20. Cottingham appeared intoxicated, police said, and failed roadside sobriety tests, leading to his arrest. At police headquarters, a breath test produced a reading of .13, which exceeds the .08 level that defines intoxication in the State of New York. In addition to the DWI charges, Cottingham was also charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, a misdemeanor. Police said that Cottingham’s drivers privileges in the state of New York had been suspended after he failed to appear to answer a summons in New York City back in 2015.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — A lost puppy, this one of the stuffed animal variety, was found by a pedestrian on Wharf Street who then brought it to police headquarters Saturday morning. The stuffed animal is described in the police report as being brown and tan, wearing a red bow, and has long floppy ears. The puppy is awaiting a reunion with its owner at police headquarters on Division Street.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — A Green Street resident called police Sunday afternoon, concerned that there was a drone flying over his property, which appeared to be following him around as he walked in his yard. The officer responding to the call saw the drone in the air, which abruptly flew away after the officer arrived. Police had no way of determining the origin of the drone, but told the concerned resident that they would document the situation in case there is a repeat occurrence.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — Police received a complaint the night of May 13 that there was an intoxicated man on Main Street, approaching pedestrians, asking if they could give him a ride to East Hampton. Police located the man, who did appear to be highly intoxicated, and found an Uber driver who agreed to take the man to East Hampton. No further action was taken.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — The harbor master checked those fishing off the Jordan Haerter Bridge on the North Haven side Sunday morning, and issued one summons to a fisherman who had three undersized porgies in his possession.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — The owner of a house on Hampton Street contacted police early Thursday morning, reporting that her surveillance camera on her door had detected a woman going through the mailbox by the sidewalk outside the house. An officer went to investigate, and checked the area, but could not find the woman in question. Police told the homeowner that she needed to come to police headquarters if she wanted to file a criminal complaint.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — Police received a report of an injured deer in the roadway the night of May 14 in the area of Main and Union streets. An officer went to investigate, but it appeared that the deer had left the area.
SAG HARBOR VILLAGE — On the afternoon of May 14, for the second week in a row, a clearly dying raccoon was dispatched by a police officer with a single bullet. The incident occurred on Meadowlark Lane.
Staff Writer on May 22, 2025