Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, New York
End of Watch: Saturday, August 9, 2008
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Assault
Date of Incident: August 7, 2008
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 22 years
Corrections Officer Andrew Reister was choked to death while working at a department-sanctioned off duty job at the Southampton Publick House at 62 Jobs Lane in Southampton.
Officer Reister confronted an intoxicated man who was causing a disturbance inside of the restaurant.
When Officer Reister told the man to stop dancing on a table, the man jumped from the table onto Officer Reister, knocking him down. The man then grabbed Officer Reister around the neck and choked him until he was unconscious.
Officer Reister sustained irreversible brain damage and died, as a result, two days later. The man who choked him was arrested and charged with murder. He was convicted of first-degree manslaughter and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
Officer Reister had served with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office for 14 years. He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, parents, and two brothers.