Suffolk County police add seized Corvette to anti-DWI campaign
A 2020 Corvette Stingray seized after a second DWI conviction is now Suffolk police’s newest warning on wheels, as officials lean on visibility to deter drunk driving.
Suffolk County police put a seized 2020 Corvette Stingray coupe on display in Yaphank as the centerpiece of a new anti-DWI campaign, turning a repeat offender’s sports car into a moving warning about what impaired driving can cost. The department repainted the vehicle, added police siren and flashing lights, and marked it “DWI seizure” before sending it out for public events and parades rather than regular patrol duty.
The car had been taken from a repeat drunken driving offender in 2022 after a second DWI conviction under county law. Police say the coupe has under 3,000 miles on it, a Kelley Blue Book value of about $60,000 to $65,000, and similar models listed for as much as $90,000 online. Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina called it “quite an impactful seizure” and said, “We want people to know that if you drive drunk in Suffolk County, this could happen to your car.”
The rollout puts a visible, high-dollar object at the center of Suffolk’s enforcement message. The county police department says its anti-DWI crackdown has helped cut the number of fatal wrecks over the past three years, and the new Corvette is meant to extend that message beyond roadside stops and courtrooms into parade routes and community gatherings. The strategy is built on public humiliation and public visibility, using the seized car itself as proof that a DWI arrest can carry consequences that reach well beyond a ticket or court appearance.
The department’s broader enforcement numbers show how heavily it continues to lean on impaired-driving arrests. Suffolk County police recognized Highway Patrol Officer Greg Sandbichler for 118 DWI arrests in 2025, a tally that placed him among the top arresting officers in New York State. The Corvette campaign adds a public-facing layer to that enforcement work, but the test for officials is whether the spectacle changes driver behavior or simply creates a memorable photo opportunity for a problem that still fills Suffolk’s roads and court calendars.
By repurposing a seized muscle car into a branded warning, Suffolk police are betting that the consequences of a second DWI conviction will resonate more loudly when parked in plain sight. The department’s message is blunt: in Suffolk County, a drunk-driving arrest can end with the loss of the car itself.
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