Bronx Judge Erik Gray Arrested for Suspected DWI
Police stopped Supreme Court Judge Erik Gray in The Bronx early Friday and charged him after he refused a breath test.
Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Criminal Justice
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Police arrested Bronx Supreme Court Judge Erik Gray for driving under the influence and refusing a breath test after stopping his vehicle at 189th Street and Webster Avenue in the Fordham section of The Bronx. Gray is suspected of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs and driving while ability impaired.
Why it matters
Refusing a breath test triggers an automatic driver's license suspension, and the arrest of a sitting judge raises questions about accountability within New York City's court system. The case reaches a New York City judiciary that Gray has served as a member of since his 2019 Civil Court election.
Gray is suspected of driving while impaired by drugs, driving while ability impaired, and refusing a breath test, with his judicial term set to end December 31, 2029. The extraction does not confirm formal charges, bail, or a court date.
The players
Erik Gray
Erik Gray is a 58-year-old Bronx Supreme Court judge who previously ran on the Democratic ticket for New York City Civil Court in 2019.
The details
Officers stopped Gray's vehicle at 189th Street and Webster Avenue in the Fordham section of The Bronx at 12:35 a.m. Friday. After Gray refused a breath test, he was taken into custody.
Timeline
Friday, 12:35 a.m.: Police stop Gray at 189th Street and Webster Avenue.
December 31, 2029: Gray's judicial term ends.
Legal Context
New York's implied consent law automatically suspends a driver's license when a motorist refuses a chemical breath test, a rule that applies regardless of the driver's position. Gray's arrest tests how that statute applies to a sitting member of the state judiciary.
Drivers in New York City face automatic license suspension if they refuse a breath test during a traffic stop. The case also bears on public confidence in judges who handle local criminal matters.
The takeaway
Refusing a breath test during a traffic stop carries an automatic license suspension in New York, whatever the driver's status. Judges and other officials are subject to the same impaired-driving laws as anyone else.
Further reading
For more on how cases like this move through the system, see Criminal Justice coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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