A Nassau County jury has found an Old Westbury woman guilty of DWI for causing a crash with her three-year-old child in the back seat of her car. Her license to drive had been previously suspended.
Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas said that Ariadne Tannous, 37, was found guilty on Aug. 17 of aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle (Leandra’s Law, an E felony), aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree (an E felony), and two counts of misdemeanor Driving While Intoxicated.
Singas said that on April 4, 2014, at approximately 4:30 p.m., Tannous, was driving on Glen Cove Road, just north of Westbury Avenue, in Carle Place when she struck an SUV traveling in front of her car. There were no injuries. When police arrived, the arresting officer smelled the strong odor of alcohol on the defendant’s breath and saw that the defendant had glassy eyes.
During the trial, the defendant said she was distracted by her child and that is what caused the crash. However, during the course of the police investigation, it was found the defendant had a BAC of at least .20 percent more than twice the legal limit.
“This defendant endangered the life of her young child and every driver and pedestrian when she drove drunk on Nassau’s busy roads,” DA Singas said. “Leandra’s Law was enacted because of the horrific tragedies that can occur when people drive drunk with kids in the car. It’s a miracle nobody was injured or killed by this defendant’s incredible indifference to the lives of her own child and the public.”
Tannous faces a maximum of 1 1/3 to 4 years when she is sentenced on Oct. 28.
