It is now a felony in New York to drive drunk or under the influence of drugs with a child in the vehicle, and will require first-time driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles.
Dan Sullivan
By Cheryl Robinson, CNN
November 19, 2009 1:51 a.m. EST
New York (CNN) -- It is now a felony in New York to drive drunk or
under the influence of drugs with a child in the vehicle, and will
require first-time driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) offenders to
install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles.
With a quick sweep of his hand Wednesday, Gov. David A. Paterson
signed the Child Passenger Protection Act, known as Leandra's Law in
honor of 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed in a drunken
driving accident in October.
Lenny Rosado, Leandra's father, stood nearby, holding a picture of his
daughter while tears streamed down his face.
"On that night of October 11, I lost my only child," Rosado said while
choking back tears. "As a single parent, she was my heart, my soul and
my best friend."
According to Paterson, Leandra's Law will set some of the toughest DWI
penalties in the nation and will provide law enforcement officials
with the tools they need to prosecute DWI offenders.
Under the law, first-time offenders with a blood alcohol content of .
08 or more or under the influence of drugs, and with a child age 15 or
under in the vehicle, will automatically have their drivers license
suspended, will have to install a ignition interlock device in their
car and may be charged with a Class E felony punishable up to four
years in prison.
Intoxicated drivers who cause serious injury to a child may be charged
with a Class C felony punishable up to 15 years in prison, and drunken
drivers who cause the death of a child will be charged with a Class B
felony that could bring up to 25 years in prison.
In addition to the increased sanctions, parents caught driving
impaired with their children will be reported to the Statewide Central
Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment.
New York now joins 35 other states that have child endangerment laws
imposing tougher DWI sanctions against drivers who put children at
risk. New York is also the 13th state to require mandatory interlock
ignitions.
On October 11, Leandra Rosado and six of her friends were packed into
a car driven by Carmen Huertas, the mother of one of the girls.
Huertas was taking the girls to a slumber party.
Authorities later said Huertas was driving drunk and played a guessing
game with the girls, asking them to "raise their hands if they thought
they would make it home without crashing."
While speeding up the Henry Hudson Parkway, the car flipped. Leandra
Rosado was thrown from the vehicle and died from head and chest
injuries. Her six friends and Huertas survived the crash.
Huertas has since been charged with manslaughter, vehicular
manslaughter, operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of
alcohol, and assault, according to the Manhattan district attorney's
office.
Since losing his daughter, Lenny Rosado has turned his grief into
action. At the bill-signing ceremony, Rosado said that the day after
Leandra died, he made the decision to fight for tougher DWI laws
because he didn't want to see another parent or grandparent lose their
child in such a reckless way.
"From here on, those that think it's OK to drink and drive with
children in the car ... will pay the price," Rosado said. "My
daughter's name and Leandra's Law will save lives from here on. Her
legacy will live."
Greegor
Is that how you got 20+ child abuse reports, Dan?
You like a wee drop now and then, but you get carried away?
Greegor
G > Is that how you got 20+ child abuse reports, Dan?
G > You like a wee drop now and then, but you get carried away?
What made VARIOUS people call in 20+ abuse reports on you?
You already admitted it wasn't all instigated by your ex-wife!
Why has your story CHANGED several times?
( 15+, 20+, 15+ )
Are you an alcoholic or a recovered alcoholic, Dan?