A 37-year-old New York man is facing drunk driving charges after causing two accidents on Nov. 15. The man fled the scene of both accidents, but Suffolk County police tracked him down after receiving a call from two witnesses who had followed his SUV. The accidents took place in the town of Brentwood.
The man first drove his vehicle into a school bus at about 3:34 p.m. Instead of stopping to ensure that no children had been injured by the impact, the man allegedly attempted to flee the scene. He then crashed into a car two minutes later. The man once again drove away without checking to see if he had caused any injuries.
Four of the children in the school bus sustained minor injuries in the accident, and they were transported to a local hospital for treatment. The car struck by the man’s vehicle in the second accident contained two children, and it was being driven by a pregnant woman. They were also taken to a local medical facility for assessment. After police caught up with the man, he was charged with a raft of offenses, including DWI and leaving the scene of an accident.
Drivers in New York charged with DWI face severe penalties. In addition to fines and mandatory substance abuse counseling, even first-time offenders may be sentenced to jail time, and if convicted, they may also pay far higher insurance premiums. An attorney experienced in defending drunk driving cases may be able to secure more lenient treatment by entering into plea negotiations with prosecutors. They might also challenge evidence presented by prosecutors, such as police statements and the results of chemical or field sobriety tests.
Source: LongIsland.com, “East Islip Man Crashes into School Bus and Vehicle Driven By Pregnant Woman; Fled Scene of Both Accidents“, Joe Randazzo , November 16, 2013
