Fulton Police announced Monday the arrest and ticketing of a man under Leandra’s Law, which makes it a felony to drive drunk when a child is in the car.
Police allege they stopped Jeffrey J. Bryant’s car for going 41 miles an hour in a 30 mile an hour zone on the Broadway bridge. In the car with him were an adult woman and a three month old child.
They allege that Bryant, 25, of 141 Chafee Ave., Syracuse, failed several standard field tests for sobriety.
He was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated for having a child younger than 15 in the car at the time, and aggravated unlicensed operator. Both are felonies. He was also charged with DWI and endangering the welfare of a child, both misdemeanors, and speeding.
Bryant was released on appearance tickets. He is due in court on April 15.
It is the first time since the new law was implemented that Fulton Police have announced an arrest under the law.
Leandra’s Law grew out of the death downstate of 11 year old Leandra Rosado. A family friend was driving drunk, police allege, when the friend crashed the car and killed the child.
The state Senate and Assembly passed the law in unanimous votes and Gov. Paterson signed it into law last November.
It is considered one of the toughest DWI punishment laws in the nation. The law also mandates ignition locks on the cars of those who are convicted of DWI. Parents caught driving drunk with their children in the car are also reported to the state child abuse registry under the new law.
