Suffolk Police: Drunken Driver Smashes 9 Cars Parked In Front Of Restaurant

CENTERPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police say a drunken driver smashed nine cars parked outside a Suffolk County restaurant on Monday night.

CBS2's Jessica Layton reported front ends were torn off several cars parked in front of the Mill Pond Inn on Main Street in Centerport, as Suffolk Police charge the damage was caused by 53-year-old Mark Camenzuli who was driving under the influence.

Danielle D'Aurio was celebrating her 30th birthday inside the restaurant with relatives, but now she is using a rental car as she tries to get her damaged BMW fixed.

"Each car he hit. You kept hearing a screech and smash," D'Aurio said. "When he got to the end of the parking lot, he spun out and hit another car at the edge of the entrance."

Camenzuli is a divorced father of three who had been living just a block west of the accident scene at a motel. D'Aurio's boyfriend said Camenzuli kept trying to drive away, but couldn't because of major damage to his own vehicle.

"He obviously was drunk and just panicking, trying to escape, hitting another car, trying to pull out, and then hitting another car backing out," said Vito Fragola.

Two patrons grabbed Camenzuli and held him until police arrived.

"My mother's car is probably totaled," D'Aurio said. "Her front end is shot. My sister's car – she has a black BMW – it was completely totaled in the front."

Camenzuli pled not guilty to the DWI charges in court on Tuesday. Despite the violent collisions, no one was hurt.

"You can fix the damage to the car, you can't always fix the damage to people," D'Aurio said. "Thank God no one was out there."

D'Aurio added the restaurant owner may want to rethink parking cars out front so close to the roadway. The owner had no comment.

Camenzuli's next court appearance to face the drunk driving charges is set for Aug. 30.