The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office said two deputies had to scramble to get out of harm's way when a drunk driver nearly struck them on the side of a road.
According to a news release, the deputies were parked on the shoulder of East Genesee Street Road in the town of Sennett on Sept. 19, with two marked vehicles with emergency lights flashing, handling a disabled motor vehicle complaint.
William A. Maffei
As they were preparing to get back in their vehicles and leave the area, the sheriff's office said, the deputies saw a car coming in the distance, so they waited to open their doors and get into their vehicles. As the car approached, however, it did not move over and almost struck the parked police cars, causing the deputies to flee on foot to avoid being struck.
After the vehicle passed without striking them, the deputies got into their patrol cars with emergency lights and sirens activated and attempted to stop the vehicle. Initially, the driver failed to pull over, police said, before abruptly stopping.
William A. Maffei, 64, of Sennett, was operating the vehicle, and deputies determined that he was under the influence of alcohol. Maffei was arrested and transported to the Public Safety Building for processing, and the sheriff's office said he refused to provide a breath sample to determine his blood alcohol content.
Maffei was charged with the misdemeanors of second-degree reckless endangerment and driving while intoxicated, first offense, along with several other vehicle and traffic law violations. He was held at the Cayuga County Jail overnight, arraigned the following morning and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in Sennett Town Court at a later date.
First responders hold a mock DWI at Auburn High School in April.
