Newburgh man hit with strict DWI charges
On May 24, police in New Windsor, New York, charged a man with a handful of serious charges for allegedly driving drunk while his kids were in the car with him. According to police, they were acting on tips from citizens when they arrived at a site near Route 32 and Old Forge Hill Road in New Windsor.
There, around 6:41 p.m., they found the defendant unconscious in his vehicle as it sat at a traffic light in the intersection of those two roads. Police say the man was behind the wheel of the vehicle when they found him, and his two children were in the back seat. The two kids, ages 9 and 5-years, did not appear to be situated in authorized children's safety seats.
A subsequent evaluation of the defendant determined that he had a blood-alcohol content greater than .18 percent. New Windsor police arrested the defendant and charged him under the Leandra's law provisions of DWI statutes which attach stiffer penalties to people drinking and driving while there are children present in the vehicle.
The 46-year-old Newburgh man has been charged with two felony counts of DWI with a child in the vehicle, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, aggravated driving while intoxicated and a host of lessor offenses. The man was taken to jail where he is currently under $1,000 bond. A family member is looking after the children.
People accused of felony DWI charges should know that there are serious life-long consequences to being found guilty. They may have their driving privileges suspended for a lengthy period. A smaller percentage of drivers may even have their license permanently revoked. However, just because they have been charged doesn't mean they are guilty.
In most DWI cases, the circumstances of the arrest can be challenged. For example, a DWI defense attorney might challenge the accuracy of the instruments and devices used to determine a defendant's blood alcohol level at the time of their arrest. They may attempt to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor to plead guilty to lesser offenses. There are still many other strategies in the field of DWI defense.