Woman Charged with Drunk Driving with Child Passenger in LaGrange

A 62-year-old woman from Jackson Heights, Queens, is facing felony charges after state police say she was caught driving intoxicated with a child in her vehicle in Dutchess County.

Erratic Driving Reported on Route 55

On Saturday, August 31, at approximately 6:29 p.m., Dutchess County 911 dispatched a “be on the lookout” (BOLO) alert for an erratic Jeep Wrangler traveling westbound on State Route 55 in the Town of LaGrange.

A Trooper from the State Police Poughkeepsie barracks quickly located the vehicle and observed violations of the Vehicle and Traffic Law. The driver was pulled over for a traffic stop.

Driver Identified as Angela P. Torres

The operator was identified as Angela P. Torres, age 62, of Jackson Heights, New York. During the stop, Torres displayed several signs of intoxication, prompting the Trooper to conduct further investigation.

Inside the vehicle, a 15-year-old child passenger was also present, adding to the severity of the situation.

Arrest and Chemical Test

Torres was taken into custody at the scene and transported to State Police Poughkeepsie headquarters for processing. She agreed to a chemical breath test, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.14%, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08%.

The child passenger was safely released into the care of a sober third party, according to state police.

Charges Under Leandra’s Law

As a result of the investigation, Torres now faces several charges, the most serious being Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child Passenger, a Class E felony under New York’s Leandra’s Law.

Leandra’s Law, enacted in 2009, makes it a felony to drive drunk with a child under the age of 16 in the vehicle. It was named in memory of 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who died in a drunk driving crash.

In addition to the felony charge, Torres was also charged with:

Driving While Intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor
Multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law violations

Court Appearance Scheduled

Following her arrest, Torres was issued traffic tickets and released. She is scheduled to appear in the Town of LaGrange Court at a later date to answer the charges.

Public Safety Concerns

Incidents like this highlight the dangers of impaired driving, especially when children are involved. Law enforcement officials continue to urge drivers to make responsible choices, reminding the public that driving under the influence not only risks their own safety but also endangers innocent passengers and others on the road.

Thanks to quick action by state police, the situation was brought under control without injury.