Monday, November 23, 2009

Dad charged with DWI, unrestrained 7-month-old baby in car (Ossining, New York)

Boozer parent alert: Your time is almost up in New York. In about a month, you'll be looking at felony charges for driving drunk with your kids. In this case involving dad PAUL AMAY, the district attorney is already looking for a way to upgrade the misdemeanor charges.

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=7134132

Father charged with DWI, baby in car
Updated at 02:38 PM today

Ossining, NY (WABC) -- A Westchester man is under arrest and charged with driving drunk with his 7-month-old son in the car.

It happened Saturday just after noon at the intersection of Croton and Clinton avenues in the Village of Ossining.

A motorist apparently called 9-1-1 to report Amay's vehicle traveling erratically.

Police say 24-year-old Paul Amay had a blood-alcohol level measuring .29, that's more than three times the legal limit.

Officers say they also found the baby unrestrained in the back seat of the car.

Amay was charged with drunken driving and also endangering the welfare of a child, which are both misdemeanors.

Amay's DWI charge could be upgraded to a felony based on the Westchester County District Attorney Office's review of the case.

Last week, Gov. David Paterson signed the Child Passenger Protection Act, now known as Leandra's Law, which makes it a felony for individuals to drive while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs with children under age 15 in the car.

However, that law will not go into effect until 30 days after Gov. Paterson signed it.

Amay is being held at the Westchester County jail in Valhalla and is due in Village Court tomorrow.