Long Island Woman Puts Her Children At Risk And Leandra's Law To The Test

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by: georgebizpro
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Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2010 Time: 4:40 AM
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A Long Island mother of two is being charged with a felony DWI and two 2nd degree counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The woman is reported to have lost control of her Land Rover, crossed into oncoming traffic, finally striking a utility pole, knocking it and two others into the road. Thirty-three Bridgehampton families were without power for several hours following this incident.

The most striking feature of the accident is that the woman is accused of driving drunk with her two children, ages 6 and 2, in the backseat. All parties were treated at nearby Southampton Hospital as they suffered injuries as a result of the car crash. Upon treatment of injuries to the head, arms, knees, and face, the children were released into the custody of their grandparents; the mother was transported in police custody to the Southhampton Police Headquarters.

Acts of drunk driving can be particularly disturbing, but when an individual breaks "Leandra's Law" it becomes unconscionable. Leandra's Law, which went into effect November 18, 2009, automatically makes it a felony for any individual to drive intoxicated with a child under the age of 15 inside the vehicle. This bill passed unanimously in the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly, and has the full support of Long Island auto accident lawyers and Long Island car accident lawyers statewide.

There was quite a bit of anger in the community following the accident, most of it stemming from the facts of the case, not the temporary inconvenience of a power outage. One heated resident actually nailed the Long Island mother's front license plate to one of the toppled utility poles.

Residents have a right to be outraged over the alleged behavior of this woman. If you are involved in an accident with an individual you suspect to be intoxicated, call the police. It is important that the individual is given a sobriety test, and important that you consult with a Long Island auto accident lawyer to understand your rights in the matter.

About the Author

Long Island Auto Accident Lawyers Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine have represented those who have been injured due to no fault of their own for over four decades. Our firm and its Long Island Car Accident Lawyers have been synonymous with upholding and defending the rights of injured and disabled New Yorkers.