A driver and his passenger are facing many charges after troopers stopped a vehicle allegedly going the wrong way on a highway in Nassau County.

Troopers were called to the area near the Meadowbrook State Parkway and Ocean Parkway in Hempstead, New York just after 4:00am on Sunday, August 28, 2022 after receiving complaints about a car going the wrong way on the northbound lanes.

Troopers successfully stopped the vehicle heading southbound in the northbound lanes on the Ocean Parkway and, the New York State Police (NYSP) says, avoided a potential tragedy.

According to a written release from the NYSP the driver, identified as 24-year-old Brandon Garzon of Patchogue, New York was determined to be intoxicated with a blood alcohol concentration of .14.  The NYSP says, “Further investigation revealed Garzon and passenger Jonathan Escobar, 31 years-old of Las Vegas, NV, to be in possession of Cocaine, LSD, Cathinone, Alprazolam, Oxycodone, Methamphetamine and MDMA.”

Garzon was charged with the following:

  • Driving While Intoxicated
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (Class A-II felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree - Hallucinogenic Substance (Class A-II Felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class B felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree – Narcotic (Class B felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree with Intent to Sell (Class D felony)
  • Criminal Possession of Cannabis in the Third Degree (misdemeanor)
  • Criminal Use Drug Paraphernalia Package in the Second Degree (misdemeanor)
  • Criminal Use Drug Paraphernalia Scales in the Second Degree (misdemeanor)

Escobar was charged with the following:

  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree (Class A-II felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree - Hallucinogenic Substance (Class A-II Felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree (Class B felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree – Narcotic (Class B felony)
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree with Intent to Sell (Class D felony)
  • Criminal Possession of Cannabis in the Third Degree (misdemeanor)
  • Criminal Use Drug Paraphernalia Package in the Second Degree (misdemeanor)
  • Criminal Use Drug Paraphernalia Scales in the Second Degree (misdemeanor)

Both are scheduled to answer the charges in court at a later date.

No physical injuries were reported.

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Anyone with information that may be helpful to the investigation is asked to call police.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE:   This post is for informational purposes and is based largely on information received from the New York State Police.  Regardless of any statements or photographs regarding potential evidence presented or accusations alleged, the reader is reminded that all suspects and arrested persons are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.  At the time of this posting no additional information is available.]

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