HARPERSFIELD DRIVER CONVICTED AND SENTENCED IN DWAI DRUG CASE

HARPERSFIELD – District Attorney Shawn Smith announced that James Wise, 35, of Stamford, pleaded guilty in the Town of Harpersfield Court on March 16, 2026, to one count of Driving a Motor Vehicle While Ability Impaired by Drugs, an Unclassified Misdemeanor and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge.  As part of his sentence, he will have to attend an Impaired Driver Program and a Victim Impact Panel.  He will also have to provide a DNA sample and complete the Traffic Diversion Program within 60 days.  His license was revoked.

On June 16, 2025, Margaretville State Trooper Siobhan Carey observed a vehicle with no side stop lamp on River Street in the Village of Stamford. The vehicle turned onto West Main Street with no signal and then onto Lake Street in front of an oncoming vehicle which made that vehicle come to a stop to avoid an accident. Trooper Carey initiated a traffic stop and identified the driver as James Wise.  Wise was observed to have watery eyes and droopy eyelids.  Trooper Carey performed Standardized Field Sobriety Tests on Wise, and it was determined that Wise was impaired.

District Attorney Smith commended the diligent work of Margaretville State Trooper Carey. “I am proud of the work our law enforcement does to remove dangerous drivers from our roads.”

Shawn J. Smith

District Attorney

Delaware County