A Virginia truck driver was arrested on August 21, 2024, after New York State Police found him operating a tractor-trailer while impaired by alcohol and in possession of an illegal weapon.
William Harris, 52, of Richmond, VA, was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, a class “D” felony, and Driving While Intoxicated in a Commercial Vehicle, a misdemeanor. The arrest occurred at the Preble Rest Stop on Interstate 81 northbound during a routine commercial vehicle inspection by the Troop “C” Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit (CVEU).
Troopers noticed Harris’s tractor-trailer attempting to bypass the inspection area and stopped the vehicle. After administering Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, which indicated impairment, Harris was arrested. A further search revealed that Harris was in possession of an assault weapon that did not comply with the New York State SAFE Act.
Harris was processed at SP Homer, where he registered a blood alcohol content of .09%. He was later transported to the Cortland County Correctional Facility for Centralized Arraignment.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].