PD: Woman Caught Smoking Marijuana In Northport Police Chief’s Parking Spot

By Paul Shapiro
pshapiro@longislandergroup.com

A Huntington woman on her way to answer a summons for unlawful possession of marijuana proved that where there’s smoke there’s usually fire on Monday.

Arielle Bonnici, 26, of Huntington, was driving a 2001 Jeep at 5:56 p.m. on Dec. 4 on her way to the Northport Village Justice Court when she pulled into the rear parking lot of the Northport Police Department and Village Justice Court, police said. While doing so, Bonnici cut off an unmarked police vehicle and was observed on a cell phone, according to police.

Police said she went on to drive into the area designated for police vehicles and parked in, of all spaces, the spot reserved for the Chief of Police.

When police approached the Jeep — still parked in the police chief’s spot — Bonnici rolled down her window and the officers were met with a cloud of marijuana smoke. The officers said they then observed her to be in possession of marijuana and a pipe containing marijuana.  

Bonnici was issued a field appearance ticket for this incident as well as a traffic ticket for using her cell phone while driving, police said.

She was then directed inside to the court room to be arraigned on the new unlawful possession of marijuana charge and to answer the original marijuana charge, which was issued on May 11, 2017. Both cases were adjourned to January 29, 2018.

When Chief of Police Bill Ricca was told of the incident, he simply said, “You can’t make this stuff up.”