Man Charged With DWI in Harrison After High-Speed Pursuit

A White Plains store clerk's refusal to sell beer to an intoxicated man early Sunday morning led to a high speed pursuit that ended with a driving while intoxicated arrest in West Harrison, police say.

The suspect also faces two charges out of White Plains including reckless driving.

William Ehring, 45, entered the 7 Eleven at 167 Martine Ave. just after 6:30 a.m. Sunday morning and attempted to buy a 12 ounce can of Heineken, arrest reports say. Citing that state law doesn't allow alcohol sales until 8 a.m., the store clerk refused.

According to police, Ehring, who lives at 14 Madison St., West Harrison, wouldn't take no for an answer, and opened the beer in the store. The store clerk told police he took the beer from Ehring and went to call police. At this time the clerk said Ehring took another beer from the store and walked to his vehicle.

After following Ehring outside, the clerk flagged down a nearby police officer who watched Ehring enter a gray four-door sedan and began to pursue the vehicle.

According to police the officer followed Ehring north on Court Street toward the intersection of Renaissance Sq. and Hamilton Ave. After a right turn on Hamilton Ave., police turned on emergency lights and the vehicle came to a stop. But police say when the officer stepped out of his vehicle the suspect took off at a high rate of speed down North Broadway.

Police trailed the vehicle onto Lake Street and observed Ehring travel in the wrong lane and narrowly miss a red Jeep Cherokee traveling in the other direction, arrest reports say.

Because of the dangerous rate of speed at which the vehicle was traveling, White Plains police called off the pursuit after reporting the vehicle's license plate number. White Plains police then sent a radio call to Harrison police because the vehicle was traveling into West Harrison.

Harrison Police went to Ehring's registered address on Park Avenue, where the occupants said he had recently moved to 14 Madison Street. Harrison Police went to the address where they found Ehring still in his vehicle at about 7:15 a.m., arrest reports say.

Police say Ehring explained he had just arrived home from White Plains. When asked about the stolen can of beer, he told police he had thrown $5 on the register and had not stolen the beer. Police also noticed a strong smell of alcohol on Ehring's breath, reports say.

White Plains Police arrived at the scene and identified Ehring as the man they had chased in White Plains. Security from the White Plains 7-Eleven was also used to confirm the suspect's identity, police say.

Harrison Police charged Ehring with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor. White Plains Police have also filed charges of petit larceny and reckless driving, both misdemeanors.

Harrison Police released Ehring to White Plains where he was held on $500 bail.