Police in New York recently arrested a young woman who was allegedly driving while impaired with her children in the car. She is also accused of rear-ending a vehicle and fleeing the scene. Drunk driving charges are serious enough on their own. The added charges in this case can carry penalties that will affect the accused and her children for years to come if she is convicted.
According to reports, on Wednesday, March 25, the accused – a 27-year-old female – was operating her vehicle on Floyd Parkway in Patchogue when, at approximately 2:45 p.m., she struck the back end of a car. She supposedly left the scene and was located a short time later by police. The law enforcement officer who found the accused claims she had two children in her vehicle – a 3-year-old and a 17-month-old, both of whom were unharmed and placed in the care of relatives.
The accused was taken into custody and held overnight until her scheduled arraignment. She has been charged with DWI, child endangerment, hit-and-run and driving without a license – among other things. It is unclear when her case will go to trial.
Why might a case in Patchogue matter to New City residents? This kind of thing can happen anywhere to anyone. The state of New York takes drunk driving charges seriously, especially when children are involved or accidents have occurred. The consequences associated with a conviction in this particular case include incarceration, fines, rehabilitation and, possibly, the loss of parental privileges – among numerous others. In other words, there is a lot on the line, so how the accused defends herself, which she can do with the assistance of legal counsel, is of vital importance.
