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Drunk Driver Hits Wall Then Asks 'How Did I End Up Here?' Prosecutors Say

By Nicholas Rizzi | January 6, 2015 8:35am
 Claire Camera, 60, crashed her car into a rock barrier on Meisner Avenue on New Year's Day, then told police she didn't know how she got there, prosecutors said.
Claire Camera, 60, crashed her car into a rock barrier on Meisner Avenue on New Year's Day, then told police she didn't know how she got there, prosecutors said.
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LIGHTHOUSE HILL — A woman crashed her car into a rock barrier on Meisner Avenue while driving drunk on New Year's Day then told police "I don't know where I am," prosecutors said.

Claire Camera, 60, was driving her 2012 Ford sedan around 1:58 a.m. on New Year's Day when she hit the front of her car into the wall near 59 Meisner Ave., according to court papers.

When police arrived, Camera admitted she was driving from a party, but didn't know how she ended up on the Lighthouse Hill block, court papers read.

"I don't know where I am," Camera told officers, according to court papers. "How did I end up here? I was drinking at the party. I usually don't drink, but I was drinking tonight."

Camera had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and smelled of alcohol, but refused a breathalyzer test, according to court papers.

She was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and driving while impaired at her arraignment on Thursday, according to the Staten Island District Attorney's office.

Camera was released without bail and is due back in court on March 18.

Her lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other recent crimes on Staten Island include:

► A man was arrested for selling heroin stamped "GOYA" to an undercover officer three times in December and January, prosecutors said.

Kevin Smith, 23, first sold heroin to the officer on Dec. 11, 2014 in front of 18 Opal Lane, then two other times, according to court papers.

On Jan. 1, 2015, officers issued a search warrant at Smith's Bloomingdale Road home and found one glassine of heroin and 50 glassines with heroin residue inside all stamped with "GOYA."

Police found Smith on the corner of Bloomingdale Road and Idaho Avenue with two drug-filled packets in his pocket, according to court papers.

Smith was charged with criminal possession and sale of a controlled substance and is being held on $10,000 bond, $5,000 cash bail, according to the District Attorney's office. He's due back in court on March 12.

His lawyer could not be reached for comment.

► A man sold several bags of heroin stamped "Happy Hour" to another man on New Year's Day in Port Richmond, prosecutors said.

Police saw Kshawn Lewis, 26, sell heroin to Christopher Barone, 32, who was in a white car parked in front of Lewis' Park Avenue home around 5:22 p.m. on Jan. 1, according to court papers. They found three glassine bags inside Barone's car and another one in his sock, court papers read.

Shortly after, police searched Lewis' home and found another four packets of heroin stamped "Happy Hour" on a computer desk in his living room, court papers read.

Lewis was charged with criminal sale and possession of a controlled substance and had a bail of $1,000 bond, $500 cash set at his arraignment. He's due back in court on March 6.

His lawyer could not be reached for comment.

Barone was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and was released without bail. He's due back in court on Jan. 21.

His lawyer did not immediately respond to request for comment.