Cocaine scandal ripping the Hamptons apart: New York elite's dirty secret leaves mothers too afraid to let their children out... as police issue urgent warning

By RUTH BASHINSKY, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 21:46, 19 June 2026 | Updated: 21:46, 19 June 2026 The winding roads of the Hamptons have been the setting for some America's most notorious celebrity driving scandals. In 2001, socialite Lizzie Grubman plowed her SUV into a crowd outside a Southampton nightclub, injuring 16 people in one of the most infamous dramas in the Long Island enclave's ritzy history. A few years later, legendary songwriter Billy Joel made headlines with a string of crashes. And who could forget Justin Timberlake's 2024 arrest for driving while intoxicated in Sag Harbor. Twenty-five years after Lizzie Grubman's infamous crash, Hamptons locals say the roads are more dangerous than ever. Already in the first few weeks of this summer, there have been dozens of arrests for cocaine and DUI-related driving offenses across the East End of Long Island, which includes the Hamptons - the collection of seaside towns beloved by the New York elite and affluent. And those are just the ones getting caught. Now, residents tell the Daily Mail that reckless driving and partying has left them terrified to live out their normal routines. 'I'm so sick of it,' one Hamptons socialite and working DJ told the Daily Mail. 'So many careless drivers who don't care. Looking at phones. Distracted. Drinking. Drugs.' The DJ said the situation has become so severe in recent years that she has scaled back her nightlife events and no longer feels safe driving home after gigs. The Hamptons become a playground for the rich and famous during the summer  Gwen Chelidze, a real estate attorney in Southampton, now flees the Hamptons in the summer One New York City mom-of-two, who spends her summers in Bridgehampton with her family, said the prevalence of drug use and alcohol increases every summer, and as a mother of a new teenage driver it has put her on edge. 'My daughter is learning how to drive and every time we go out on the roads I panic. There is no public transportation out here and Uber may be too expensive, so these kids and adults are forced to drive putting other people at risk,' she said. 'It's really a huge concern and not okay,' she added, saying it felt like things had been getting worse in recent years. According to East Hampton Town Police's 2025 annual report, motor vehicle accidents actually fell from roughly 1,000 in 2024 to 777 in 2025. But DWI arrests have been steadily increasing since 2022. Suffolk County data - which includes the Hamptons - recorded roughly 190 DUI-related arrests in 2024, the most recent year with data, with officials describing enforcement trends as steady or increasing in recent years. Party drugs, cocaine most notably, are rampant in the Hamptons during the summer, when wealthy New Yorkers flee the city for the season. Nassau County - which sits west of the Hamptons on Long Island - saw officers seize nearly 700 pounds of cocaine from the back of a pickup truck in February in what authorities said was a shipment tied to the wider summer party season. The Hamptons itself transforms each year into a seasonal playground for the wealthy, with beach clubs, private parties, charity events and late-night gatherings drawing crowds from the city and beyond. But while wealthy transplants move in, Hamptons locals say they now leave to avoid the summer chaos. Chelidze said the Hamptons gets so busy, particularly over holiday weekends, that she often tries to leave town altogether The Hamptons is 'recklessly reckless, truly terrifying and dangerous to the utmost and fullest extent,' David Lasky said Real estate attorney Gwen Chelidze said the Hamptons now gets so busy, particularly over holiday weekends, that she often tries to leave town altogether, and is considering travelling to Aspen over the upcoming Fourth of July period. She used to enjoy cycling through Southampton during the warmer months but has stopped due to repeated close calls with distracted drivers. 'The drivers hit the brakes too close to me, as they seemed like they were distracted either by their phone, music, or nature,' Chelidze recalled. 'It used to be my workout but I no longer ride a bike to work as it doesn't feel safe for me. It's just not worth it.' She added that concerns are not limited to main roads, but also extend into quieter residential streets used by runners and cyclists. Lizzie Grubman (right) was involved in an infamous car crash in the Hamptons in the early 2000s Justin Timberlake was jailed after a DWI arrest in Sag Harbor in the summer of 2024 'It's getting busier and it's getting more dangerous. Even when I walk along the streets now I am very cautious.' Residents told the Daily Mail that drinking and drug use is amplifying already risky driving conditions. Last month, a 23-year-old man was arrested on Springs Fireplace Road in East Hampton and charged with DUI and possession of cocaine. Officers described the man as visibly intoxicated, with bloodshot eyes and unsteady feet. On June 8, another man, 54, was arrested on Old Squiretown Road in Hampton Bays and was charged with DUI and cocaine possession. Police say they have stepped up nighttime patrols to catch drivers under the influence, which may explain why DWI events are rising. 'We definitely see a rise in DWI/DWAI during the summer months, but we see a rise in pretty much everything due to the population and traffic increase,' South Hampton Police Lieutenant Todd Spencer told the Daily Mail. 'We have dedicated DWI patrols virtually every Friday and Saturday during the summer months as well as Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve.' Producer and Writer David Lasky, a former New York-based resident who spent many summers in the Hamptons before relocating to California, remembers the Hamptons in its prime in the mid 2000s' '2005 is a far cry from The Hamptons of today. Now every driver is as erratic, crazed, and angry as Lizzie Grubman,' Lasky said. 'I don't know which exact illegal substances a vast array of drivers are being caught with, but I certainly don't trust other drivers to be responsible, considerate, and respectful in today's world.' And, referred to the Hamptons today as 'recklessly reckless, truly terrifying and dangerous to the utmost and fullest extent.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. 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