Only In Connecticut HAHAHA

State cops: Owner of construction company Tasered after driving drunk on Merritt
TRUMBULL -- An owner of one of the state's largest construction companies was arrested after police said he was driving drunk in his Cadillac and plowed through a construction site on the Merritt Parkway, forcing workers to leap out of the way to avoid being hit.

Police said that when they finally caught up with David Brennan officers had to Taser him to get him under control.

Brennan, 45, of Sconset Drive, Fairfield, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, reckless driving, running from police, first-degree reckless endangerment and resisting arrest. He was released after posting a $10,000 bond pending arraignment in Superior Court on May 10.

Brennan is an owner of John J. Brennan Construction of Shelton.

According to State Police, last Tuesday night Trooper Edmund Vayan was parked in a construction area in the right lane southbound near exit 48 on the Merritt Parkway when he heard some loud thuds coming from behind his patrol car. He said he looked in his rear view mirror and saw the headlights of a car traveling toward him knocking down the construction barrels and cones blocking the lane.

The car, a 2009 silver Cadillac, veered around Vayan's police car at the last minute and then continued driving along the closed lane at about 80 miles per hour, state police said.

They said construction workers began diving out of the way as the car sped through the construction zone, barrels and cones flying.

The trooper pursued the Cadillac as it sped along the parkway. As it reached the Fairfield rest area other troopers who were waiting for it, dropped stop sticks into the Cadillac's path blowing out two of its tires. But instead of slowing, police said the car accelerated, careening across the roadway.

Eventually police said they were able to box the Cadillac in with their patrol cars and bring it to a stop. But police said Brennan, who smelled of alcohol, refused officers' orders to surrender and they had to Taser him. As Brennan was being taken away police said he kept mumbling that it was his birthday. When police asked Brennan why his car had a Florida registration they said he replied that he claims residency in Florida to get discounts at Disney World.

HAHAHAHA!! I needed a good laugh.

Illinois Man Dies in Crash; Wife Leaves Car, Vanishes

(CNN) -- An Illinois woman walked away from a car crash that killed her husband, authorities believe, but they have found no trace of her other than footprints in the snow leading to a road.

A search was in its third day Tuesday for Tanya Shannon, 40, of Ransom, Illinois, according to the LaSalle County, Illinois, Sheriff's Office.

Ground operations began at 9 a.m. with air operations starting at noon, Sheriff Tom Templeton said. "They're looking," he told CNN sister network HLN. "They're expanding their search area just a little."

Shannon was last seen along with her husband Dale Shannon, 41, at a Christmas party Saturday night in Streator, about 17 miles west of Ransom, relatives told CNN affiliate WGN and the Chicago Tribune.

"They were dancing together, really cutting up a rug," Dale Shannon's sister Donna Baker, who was at the party, told the Tribune. She said the couple -- married 20 years with four daughters ages 4 to 15 -- left the party arm in arm.

Her brother was sober, she told the newspaper, and was driving his wife's car.

About 1:45 a.m. Sunday, a deputy on patrol in a rural area of Brookfield Township found a one-car traffic accident, the sheriff's office said in a statement. "The deputy found a male occupant of the vehicle in the driver's seat deceased," the statement said. "Evidence at the scene indicated that a second person was also in the vehicle at the time of the accident. Further investigation revealed that the second person was possibly the wife of the deceased driver."

The car slid backwards into a pole, Templeton said, with enough force to break the backs of both the front seats. A relative told the Tribune Dale Shannon's back was broken.

Footprints were reportedly found leading from the car to a nearby road. But there, Tanya Shannon's trail ends.

"There's nothing for us to believe there's any issues other than exactly what happened, a traffic accident that claimed her husband's life, that she was at least able for a period of time to walk away from and move up to the roadway," the sheriff said. "And once she was on the roadway, that's where we lost track of her."

He said he couldn't speculate on whether or how badly Tanya Shannon was injured in the crash. "She was at least able to get up to the road," he said. Police have her cell phone, he said.

Police have not ruled out the possibility that Tanya Shannon was picked up by someone. But "if she was able to walk and able to move, how come she hasn't contacted any of her family?" Templeton told WGN.

Tanya Shannon was last seen wearing a red dress -- described by the Tribune as a ball gown -- and a gray fleece hooded jacket, police said. The dress should have made her easy to spot in the rural, snowy landscape.

"We were told from the family she was an extremely loving mother," Templeton told the Tribune. For her to just leave with no warning "would be incredibly out of character," Templeton said.

"To be out in the elements as they were that night, dressed only as she was, it's very doubtful that you can survive terribly long."

The crash site was remote, Templeton told the newspaper. A nuclear power plant lies to the north, but the area is surrounded by farmland.

"It's crazy," Baker told WGN. "We're holding on to every ounce of hope we have, just to hope for (a) safe return. ... It's been like a nightmare you can't wake up from. If anybody has anything, seen anything, please, please contact us, because these four girls need something."

Search and rescue operations have so far involved dogs and aircraft from the Illinois State Police, along with more than 50 searchers, according to WGN and the sheriff's office.

Tanya Shannon is described as being 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds, with shoulder-length strawberry-blond hair and green eyes, according to the sheriff's statement. She also wears glasses.

It's very mysterious what might have happened to Tanya," Baker told the Tribune. "We checked the area hospitals and nothing, so we don't know if someone picked her up and took her somewhere. We just don't know."

Templeton said he's never seen a case like this in his 12 years as sheriff. "Anything that's even remotely close has been gone over several times," he told the newspaper.

Anyone with information regarding Tanya Shannon's whereabouts is asked to contact the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office.

Ransom is about 70 miles northeast of Peoria, Illinois.

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Update: Tanya Shannon's Husband Was Drunk In Crash That Led To Her Disappearance
Huffington Post- As police and volunteers in rural Illinois wait out a bout of winter weather in the search for Tanya Shannon, new information has been released about the crash that led to her disappearance.

Two weeks ago, Tanya and her husband Dale attended a Saturday night holiday party in Streator, Ill., dancing and enjoying themselves. They left arm-in-arm, and Dale got behind the wheel to drive them home to nearby Ransom, about 15 miles away.

At 1:45 a.m. that night, a deputy found their car slammed against a utility pole on the Grand Ridge Mazon Blacktop. Dale's neck broke almost immediately, killing him. But Tanya disappeared virtually without a trace, leaving behind only a single slipper and a few footsteps leading into the snowy plain.

Now, the LaSalle County Coroner's Office is suggesting a possible cause for the crash: Dale Shannon had a blood-alcohol content of .266, more than three times the legal limit of .08, according to an Associated Press report.

Meanwhile, forecasts continue to predict high temperatures well below freezing in the area, with the weather possibly warming up late next week. The search for Tanya will wait for warmer weather, as authorities hope that a snowmelt will reveal some more of the snow-covered field surrounding the crash site.

Officials speculate that she may have fallen into a ditch, and her body may be covered by the snow, but they are not ruling out the possibility that she is alive.

Warrant: Windsor Locks Officer Was Drinking For 6 Straight Hours Before Crash

Hartford Courant- The Windsor Locks police officer charged in connection with the crash that killed a teenager was drinking alcohol for six straight hours before the crash and was driving an estimated 73 mph when he hit the teen, a warrant for Michael Koistinen's arrest reveals.

The 21-page warrant used to charge Koistinen with first- and second-degree manslaughter describes a day of drinking beer at a friend's house and at a UConn football tailgate party and consuming shots of liquor at a Suffield bar. Witnesses told state police investigators that Koistinen was drinking from about 5:30 p.m. until about 11:40 p.m., 20 minutes before he struck and killed Henry Dang.

The warrant also raises questions about how the Windsor Locks police handled the accident in its immediate aftermath. The initial investigators never sought to test Koistinen's blood/alcohol level.

In the warrant, state police investigators state that they believe Koistinen's father, Windsor Locks police Sgt. Robert Koistinen, transported his son from the scene to the police station multiple times before returning him to the scene, where an ambulance was called to take the younger Koistinen to a hospital.

Records Released in Fatal I-95 Crash

DARIEN - Newly released court records show the woman accused in a fatal I-95 crash in Darien last month failed a field sobriety test.

The records show Candice Blanks, 39, of Stamford, failed the field test after she struck and killed two men changing a flat tire. The eight-page search warrant shows that police attempted to give her a Breathalyzer test, but didn't have a working Breathalyzer.

Troopers say when she was brought to the state police barracks, Blanks smelled of alcohol and was experiencing mood swings. They say she even asked to call her dog at home.

Friends of the two victims, Lucas Silva and Felipe Chagas, as well as an attorney for one of the families, did not want to comment on the report.

Woman Accused in Fatal Darien Hit-and-Run Faces Judge

(11/01/10) STAMFORD - The woman accused in a hit-and-run crash that killed two men last month went before a judge this morning.

Police say Candice Blanks was drunk when she struck and killed Lucas Silva and Felipe Chagas before fleeing the scene.

Blanks has been charged with driving while intoxicated and evading responsibility.

An attorney for Blanks said yesterday that his client was not drunk and that Blanks pulled over on her own, after her airbags deployed in the collision.

State police have not released Blanks' blood-alcohol level and say it's quite possible she refused to be tested that night.

-See video at court-

-Crazy details on accident here-

(One girl that was accompanying the victims fainted at the scene...)

Wake Held for Fatal Crash Victim

(11/01/10) BRIDGEPORT - Friends and family gathered today to attend the wake for the Easton woman killed in a crash in Stamford Friday.

Jessica Martucci, 20, died when the car she was riding in flipped on I-95.

The wake was held at the Parente-Lauro Funeral Home in Bridgeport.

Her funeral will be held tomorrow morning at St. Jude Church in Monroe.

VIDEO: Fatal crash on I-95 in Stamford

Arrest Made in Fatal Stamford Crash

Published : Thursday, 15 Apr 2010, 10:12 AM EDT
Stamford, Connecticut (WTNH) - Police have charged a 20-year old Stamford man with manslaughter and drunk driving after he injured two people and killed one in a wrong way crash.

According to police, Jamie Mejia was driving north in the southbound lane on Strawberry Hill Avenue on March 21. He hit a tree and then slammed into another car.

A passenger in the other car, 57-year old Miriam Vega, had to be extricated and later died at an area hospital.

Police say Mejia's blood alcohol content was .210, or 10 times over the legal limit for a person under the age of 21.

Mejia is being held on a $50,000 bond and is due in court April 28.

Fatal crash on I-95 in Stamford

This video on News Channel 12 Connecticut shows the whole response, including the officer looking in the mangled mess for a victim...

Spooky, reminds me of their coverage of the fatal Darien crash that occurred right behind my boyfriend's house at the time..

STAMFORD -- A 20-year-old Easton woman was killed when the car in which she was a passenger struck two trees and a light pole off the right shoulder of Interstate-95 in Stamford early Friday morning.

The driver, Anthony Whittingham of Norwalk, allegedly fled on foot from the accident scene, which occurred at 2:09 a.m. Friday near the southbound Exit 9 of I-95, the Connecticut State Police said in an accident report. He was caught a short distance from the crash site.

Jessica Martucci of Silver Hill Road, Easton, died as a result of injuries suffered in the single car accident.

A second passenger, Jahmar Whittingham, of Bridgeport, was injured and taken to Stamford Hospital.

Authorities said Anthony Whittingham was driving a 2007 Volkswagon Jetta southbound at a high-rate of speed on the right-hand lane when he tried changing lanes. Instead the car veered off the right side of the highway and struck two trees and a light pole, causing the car to roll over onto its roof before coming to a rest in the center and left lanes of the highway.

Martucci sat in the front passenger seat and wore a seat-belt during the accident.

Criminal charges are pending and the accident remains under investigation by the state police.

Staff Writer Jeff Morganteen can be reached at jeff.morganteen@scni.com or (203) 964-2215.

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Woman killed in car crash, vehicle driven by Norwalk man

The Norwalk Hour- A Norwalk man was the driver in a single-car crash that killed an Easton woman early Friday morning on the Stamford stretch of I-95 north, police said.

A car driven by 27-year-old Anthony Whittingham of 16 School St., Apt. 11, veered off the highway near exit 9 at 2:09 a.m., and flipped onto its roof, police said. The impact of the crash killed Jessica Martucci, 20, of 76 Silver Hill Road, Easton, who was riding in the front passanger seat of the vehicle, according to police.

Whittingham fled on foot after crashing the vehicle, but State Police located him a short distance from the accident scene, police said.

Whittingham is not yet facing any criminal charges, but State Police said they will file charges once the investigation is completed.

Court records show that Whittingham was placed on probation in 2003 for a driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and he has been convicted of operating a motor vehicle under suspension numerous times since the DUI arrest.

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Drunk driving likely behind fatal crash
(10/29/10) STAMFORD - State police say drunk driving was likely to blame for a crash that killed an Easton woman in Stamford early this morning.

It happened before 3 a.m. between exits 8 and 9 on the northbound side.

Police say Jessica Martucci, 20, of Easton, died at the scene. Another passenger, Jamar Whittingham, 29, of Bridgeport, ended up in serious condition at Stamford Hospital.

Police arrested Anthony Whittingham, 27, of Norwalk who was not hurt. Police say he initially fled the scene before being caught.

Yeah, of course it's always the driver that's not hurt, just everyone else f*cked up or dead...

Former Yankees Slugger Faces Trial in Deadly DUI Wreck

Fort Lauderdale, Florida (CNN) -- The DUI manslaughter trial of former New York Yankees slugger Jim Leyritz is set to begin Monday in Broward County Circuit Court.

Leyritz is charged with driving while intoxicated and causing a crash that killed 30-year-old Fredia Veitch on December 28, 2007. The fatal crash happened shortly after 3 a.m. at an intersection controlled by traffic lights.

Leyritz, a hero of the 1996 World Series, had turned 44 the previous day and had spent the evening celebrating at bars in Fort Lauderdale. He had been at a bar called Automatic Slims just before the accident.

Attorneys in the case expect witnesses to disagree about whether Leyritz had a yellow or red light as he entered the intersection of S.W. 7th Avenue and S.W. 2nd Street. The front of Leyritz's Ford Expedition hit the rear driver's side of Veitch's Mitsubishi Montero, causing her car to spin and roll.

Veitch, who lived in Plantation, was thrown from the car and died from her injuries.

Leyritz stayed at the scene, where police administered and videotaped field sobriety tests. Police allege the former ballplayer failed the tests; his defense maintains Leyritz was not impaired at the time.

More than three hours after the crash, Leyritz's blood was drawn at Broward General Hospital. His blood alcohol level was .14; the legal limit in Florida is .08.

Both sides agree that Veitch was intoxicated at the time of the crash. Her blood alcohol was .18 and she was not wearing a seat belt. The defense also says that Veitch was driving without headlights and receiving calls and text messages on her cell phone around the time of the accident.

A judge ruled last month that Veitch's conduct and state of mind are not relevant to the issue of whether she had a red or green light. Leyritz's attorney is barred from telling the jury that Veitch was intoxicated, that she did not wear her seat belt and that she may have been distracted by calls and texts on her cell phone.

Leyritz maintains that he entered the intersection when his traffic light was yellow and that Veitch caused the crash by running a red light.

Under Florida law, if Leyritz caused or contributed to the accident, he can be found guilty of DUI manslaughter, even if jurors believe Veitch shares the blame.

He pleaded not guilty and if convicted, the former New York Yankee faces a minimum of four to 15 years in state prison.

Leyritz settled a wrongful death case earlier this year, agreeing to pay an initial lump sum of $250,000. He also agreed to pay $1,000 a month for 100 months starting on April 15, 2011. The money is to be paid to Veitch's husband and two children.

Leyritz played for the New York Yankees from 1990 to 1996 and returned for parts of the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He is best known for a three-run home run in Game 4 of the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves, which turned the Series around for the Yankees.

Leyritz also played for the Anaheim Angels, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was mainly a catcher throughout his career.

He retired from professional baseball in 2000. Now divorced, Leyritz lives in Florida, where he is raising his three sons.

GHS lacrosse Coach Burke Sentenced to Six Months for DUI

I knew him as a Social Studies teacher..

Stamford Advocate- A Greenwich High School lacrosse coach who was sentenced to six months in prison on drunken driving charges last week has resigned as a school employee.

Paul Burke, of New Canaan, has tendered his resignation as both a coach and a social studies teacher at GHS, effective June 30, according to the schools superintendent. Under the terms of his resignation, Burke will remain on the school system's payroll for the remainder of this school year, while he is incarcerated.

Burke has "paid a significant price for his actions, losing both his job and his freedom," Superintendent of Schools Sidney Freund said in a statement on Friday. "We hope and trust that Mr. Burke has learned from this difficult situation, and we wish him the best as he moves on with his life."

Burke's attorney, Brendan O'Rourke, said his client had a "stellar record" as a teacher and a coach who had a positive impact on the lives of his students and athletes.

The resignation "is a very unfortunate result for Paul Burke as well as the town, because he was a very valued fellow," O'Rourke said. He also called alcoholism "a disease" that Burke has been treating.

Burke legally could have challenged a potential termination by the district, but chose to resign for reasons that O'Rourke would not disclose, citing attorney-client privilege.

His voluntary resignation allows the district to post his teaching and coaching jobs immediately, Freund said.

"It was in the district's best interest to close this chapter and move on," he said.

In November 2009, Burke was found guilty of illegally operating a motor vehicle while under the intoxicating effects of liquor and driving with a blood-alcohol concentration elevated above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Burke also served 30 days in jail in 1999 after he was convicted of driving with a suspended license stemming from a prior DUI.

An investigation prior to his sentencing last month revealed that Burke had a third DUI conviction years ago that was wiped from his record because of a state law that clears the slate every 10 years.

During his recent trial, he was sentenced as a second-time offender because of this law.

Freund said he did not believe school officials were aware of the prior conviction when they hired Burke. "Not until we read it in the newspaper," said Freund, who took office as superintendent in July 2009.

Burke's August 2008 arrest came after an early-morning June crash in which Burke slammed his 2005 BMW into a stone wall on Middlesex Road in Darien.

Police said Burke had bloodshot, glassy eyes and had trouble keeping his balance. According to the arrest warrant, Burke had a blood-alcohol content of 0.29 percent -- more than triple the legal limit -- and was coming from Greenwich at the time of the crash. The lacrosse coach was arrested two months after the accident and charged with the offenses.

News of Burke's arrest became more widely known in March after the school district suspended the coach and history teacher just before the lacrosse season began.

Good Samaritan, Teen Killed by Alleged Drunk Driver

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Two people were killed during an accident late last night in the Humble area.

It happened on the Eastex Freeway near Lee Road around 11pm. Investigators say a woman with her 17-year-old daughter and her 10-year-old son were traveling along the Eastex Freeway when their Scion had a flat tire. They pulled over around the Lee Road exit. That's when a man pulled over to help the family.

The woman and her two children were standing in front of their car. According to authorities, a Jeep drifted off the road and into the right shoulder of the freeway, smashing into the car. The driver of the Jeep, says authorities, admitted to drinking alcohol.

The man who was changing the tire died. So did the 17-year-old girl. The 10-year-old boy was thrown over the rail and into the bayou under the freeway. Remarkably, the boy survived.

"He fell approximately 15 to 20 feet down to the ground," said Sgt. S. Wolverton with the Harris County Sheriff's Office. "Miraculously, he is OK and was able to crawl back up. He was transported. He did have injuries, but they were minor injuries."

The mother was taken to Memorial Hermann for treatment with serious injuries. The names of the victims have not been released.

The alleged drunk driver was taken into custody. The wreck took about three hours to clear.

Lori Petty To Get Five Years' Probation in DUI Case

People Mag.- Lori Petty, best known for her roles in Tank Girl and A League of Their Own, will plead no contest Friday to a misdemeanor DUI charge and serve five years' probation, according to a source close to the case.

Petty, 45, was arrested last May after hitting a 14-year-old skateboarder while driving in Venice, Calif. The boy's injuries were minor.

The actress will pay fines, receive outpatient treatment and attend AA meetings. A second DUI charge was dismissed as part of her plea deal.

Petty will not attend the hearing in Los Angeles County Superior Court, but will be represented by her attorney, Blair Berk.

Attorney to Seek Wrong-Way Driver's Exhumation

(CNN) -- The attorney for a man whose wife's wrong-way accident killed eight people on New York's Taconic Parkway in July says he will ask authorities to exhume her body to prove she wasn't drinking at the time of the accident.

Dominic Barbera, attorney for Daniel Schuler, told CNN's "Larry King Live" he believes Diane Schuler may have suffered stroke-like symptoms and that a fire after the accident could have turned blood sugar into alcohol.

"I read from the medical autopsy report that there was charring of the body because there was a fire," Barbera said. "And I found -- my doctors found numerous cases where you can actually have sugar in the blood turn into alcohol."

Barbera said Schuler may have had a Transient Ischemic Attack, which produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage.

The Westchester County medical examiner's office found that Schuler, 36, had a blood alcohol level of .19 percent -- more than twice the legal limit -- and had marijuana in her system when she drove a minivan the wrong way on the parkway and ran head-on into an SUV.

Three adults in the SUV were killed in the July 26 crash, as were Schuler and four children she was carrying in the minivan -- her daughter and three nieces. A fifth child, Schuler's son, survived.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office, Donna Green, said that the office stands "by the findings of the medical examiner's report."

But Daniel Schuler said he believed the report was wrong.

"I know the truth, what happened, with my wife," he said. "She is not an alcoholic and doesn't drink. She is an outstanding mother."

Barbera and Schuler said they wanted to have the body exhumed for further examinations to prove that the accident was not caused by a drunken driver.

Attorneys for the family of Daniel Luongo, 73, one of the victims in the SUV, rejected the Schuler family's contention.

"The scientific evidence indicates that Diane Schuler was intoxicated and under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash," they said in a statement.

"Any claims denying her responsibility for this tragedy are wholly unsubstantiated, and the Luongo family finds these claims appalling, offensive and hurtful. They have lost a loved one to a senseless tragedy, and these claims do nothing but add insult to injury."

Family: No Signs of Heavy Drinking in Driver in Fatal Crash

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The body of a woman who authorities say was impaired by marijuana and alcohol when she caused a deadly head-on collision shows no signs of long-term alcohol use, according to an investigator hired by her family.

"I have looked at the autopsy, and the pancreas, liver and esophagus were clear," Tom Ruskin, lead investigator and president of CMP Protective and Investigative Group, told CNN. "I've never seen a case like this. No one has seen this woman drunk and we have interviewed over 50 people -- relatives, friends, colleagues and former employees from her company."

The Westchester County medical examiner's office found that Diane Schuler, 36, had a blood alcohol level of .19 percent -- more than twice the legal limit -- and had marijuana in her system when she drove a minivan the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway and ran head-on into an SUV.

Three adults in the SUV were killed in the July 26 crash, along with Schuler and four children in her minivan -- her daughter and three nieces. A fifth child, Schuler's son, survived and is in stable condition.

Ruskin, a former officer in New York Police's narcotics division, said he is hesitant to fully accept the autopsy report.

"I'm not saying the autopsy is wrong or right. I don't know if she smoked pot weeks prior. Marijuana stays in your system for up to 30 days," he said.

The medical examiner's office released a statement on August 6, saying it stands by its autopsy results, and reiterated that Sunday.

Schuler's family expressed shock when the details were revealed, saying she had no history of substance use.

"There's no way she'd do this," Jay Schuler, Schuler's sister-in-law, said earlier this month. "She was responsible."

Tests revealed that Schuler had an additional six grams of alcohol in her stomach that had yet to be metabolized, according to Maj. William Carey of the New York State Police.

A vodka bottle was also found in the vehicle after the crash.

Ruskin is adamant that it is necessary to go back through the day of the crash.

"We are analyzing all of the data that we have to date. We have a staff that has consumed themselves with this case," he said. "We are trying to determine what happened here."

Schuler's husband, Daniel, "would like to remind people that no matter what happened here he lost his wife, his daughter, his nieces and he also grieves for the Bastardi and Luongo families," Ruskin said, referring to the other crash victims.

"He talks about that constantly in my daily conversations with him."

Accused Drunk Driver Pleads Not Guilty To Mowing Down Two Brothers

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (WPIX) - An accused drunk driver, described by his lawyer as a decorated Marine staff sergeant who served time in Iraq, pleaded not guilty Monday on charges he mowed down two brothers as they crossed an East Meadow street this past weekend.

James Farr, 33, of Garden City pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree vehicular manslaughter and one count of DWI at his arraignment in Frist District Court in Hempstead.

According to authorities, a breathalyzer revealed that Farr had a blood-alcohol content of 0.21 - more than double the legal limit - when he got behind the wheel of his BMW and drove on the Hempstead Turnpike at around 4 a.m. Sunday. Farr stuck and killed Thomas Occhiogrosso, 27, and Joseph Occhiogrosso, 28, as they were attempting to cross the street near Conti Square Boulevard, police said.

Thomas Occhiogrosso, who was an inactive reservist with the U.S. Navy, was pronounced dead at the scene, while brother Joseph Occhiogrosso, who worked as a plumber, was transported to Nassau University Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.

A lawyer for Farr claims the brothers "darted out of nowhere."

Far was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Monday. Prosecutors said charges against the defendant may be upgraded pending the results of an investigation.

More Women Held for Driving while Intoxicated, Study Finds

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Arrests for women driving under the influence jumped by nearly 30 percent during the decade ending in 2007, according to a study released Wednesday by the U.S. Transportation Department.

"To be honest with you, I was certainly surprised about that statistic," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said at a news conference.

However, when it comes to drunken driving arrests, women continue to be outnumbered by men by four to one.

Laura Dean-Moody, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said that "women are unfortunately picking up some of the same terrible, reckless behaviors that men have exhibited."

The report, authored by the FBI for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, found a declining number of men arrested for similar alcohol-related violations.

The numbers were compiled from national law enforcement records covering 1998-2007.

Moody said the report does not explain why women are increasingly driving while impaired but speculated, "Women are under more pressure. They're now perhaps the breadwinner with the unemployment rate."

She also added that "TV shows have made it look hip or cool to be a mom that stays home and drinks."

The findings were part of the launch of a Labor Day law enforcement campaign called "Over the Limit, Under Arrest."

Describing what's intended to be a nationwide effort, Fairfax County, Virginia, police Capt. Susan Culin said, "we'll be making more traffic stops, writing more tickets, conducting more sobriety checkpoints and DUI saturation patrols, and we'll be arresting any driver we determine to be impaired."

Moody, whose husband was killed in 1991 by a drunken driver, cited statistics suggesting that 2 million drivers with multiple alcohol convictions will be on the road during the Labor Day holiday.

Criticizing a court system that has allowed such drivers to keep their licenses, Moody said, "these are people who have proven not once, not twice but three times that they are not worthy of the public's trust when it comes to operating a vehicle."

Diane Schuler's Family's Attorney Blames Blood Alcohol Content 2x Over Limit Due to An Over Counter TOOTH Pain Creme.

NY Daily News- A private investigator claimed Thurshay Taconic death driver Diane Schuler stopped at a convenience store to buy pain medication on the tragic trip.

Thomas Ruskin, who was hired by Schuler's family, says he has video footage that proves the Long Island mom made the pit stop - and a statement from the shopkeeper.

"The counter guy positively identified her as Diane Schuler. He said she appeared normal and he could swear that she was absolutely sober," Ruskin told the Daily News.

Authorities say Schuler was drunk and high behind the wheel when she crashed her minivan into an SUV, killing eight people, including four children.

Her family has been desperately trying to clear her name, suggesting that a mystery illness - not 10 shots of vodka and pot - were to blame for her wrong-way driving on the Taconic State Parkway last month.

Ruskin said the video - which he did not release - shows Schuler entering the Liberty, N.Y., store and speaking with the person at the counter.

"He said she asked him for Tylenol or Advil and he didn't have any - so the question becomes what was bothering Diane Schuler?" Ruskin said.

Relatives of the three men killed in the SUV have decried the Schuler family's efforts to contradict the autopsy results.



Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/08/14/2009-08-14_she_stopped_for_pain_med_says_taconic_mom_lawyer.html#ixzz0OAMyjzUv

Taconic Parkway Tragedy

This picture from that car accident caused by Diane Schuler on the Taconic State Parkway has really touched me. It's prolific in it's finality somehow to me.

Wrong-Way Crash: "Diane Would Not Do This"

CBS- The mystery of the tragic accident that took eight lives on New York's Taconic Parkway last Sunday has gotten deeper with the release of an autopsy report, stating that the driver of a vehicle going south in a northbound lane was drunk and stoned.

A toxicology report found that Diane Schuler of West Babylon, L.I., had the equivalent of ten shots of vodka and marijuana in her body.

A bottle of vodka was found in the mangled wreckage after Schuler's minivan slammed into oncoming traffic near Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., killing herself, her 2-year-old daughter, three nieces, and three men in another car. Her 5-year-old son is the sole survivor and is still recovering in the hospital.

Yesterday Daniel Schuler, grieving for the loss of both his wife and his little girl, Erin, spoke out in her defense:

"I never saw her drunk since the day I met her," he said at a press conference. Schuler wouldn't answer questions about marijuana use.

He blamed her apparent disorientation on a stroke, her diabetic condition, or an abscess in her mouth, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace.

"I go to bed every night knowing my heart is clear: She did not drink. She is not an alcoholic. Something medically had to happen," Daniel Schuler said.

Jay Schuler, Daniel's sister-in-law, also defended her on CBS' "The Early Show," against the toxicology report that claimed she drove five children in a car while high and stoned. "Diane would not do this," she told anchor Maggie Rodriguez.

"My feeling hasn't changed to Diane at all," Jay Schuler said. "She was a wonderful, wonderful mother, wonderful sister-in-law, wonderful friend.

"She was caring, loving, loved children. As I've stated before, I've left my son in her care numerous times, once when I left the country. There is not a doubt in my mind.

"Danny is heartbroken, heartbroken for the families," she continued. "They are in our thoughts and our prayers. We want them to know this is not Diane. We would never, never ever let this happen."

She said further investigation is required to find out what happened.

Daniel Schuler's attorney, Dominic Barbara, also questioned the evidence, saying it was inexplicable given how Diane Schuler appeared before the crash.

"Maggie, I'm going to ask you to explain how a woman gets up, eats breakfast, leaves the campground at 9:00 a.m., gets kisses from her husband, leaves other people, and she is not drunk," Barbara said.

By 1:35 p.m., she and seven others were dead.

"At some point something happens to this woman, there's no doubt about it," Barbara added. "We're finding more and more proof." He described a phone call from one of the children in which they observed Diane Schuler was "having problems forming words.

"That's not 'drunk,'" Barbara said.

The only survivor in the minivan was Diane's 5-year-old son, Brian, who is still hospitalized.

"Brian is a trooper," Jay Schuler said. "It's going to be a long haul. He will need some extensive rehab. We're just giving him love and support from the family. We are around him around the clock, just to make sure that he's okay."

Riverside Man Gets Four Years in Drunken-Driving Death

This case hits home with me, as it happened in my hometown.. Just like Martha Moxley, Matthew Margolies, and the two librarians killed by a drunk driver.

GREENWICH-A Riverside man was sentenced to four years in prison Tuesday for an October 2008 drunken-driving accident that killed 20-year-old Joseph Borselio of Greenwich.

At state Superior Court, Judge Richard Comerford listened to impassioned pleas from Borselio's family to sentence Douglas Moore, 25, to the maximum jail time he could receive.

"It's outrageous to me," said Kayla Borselio, Joseph Borselio's older sister of the accident. "I wonder how someone can engage in such irresponsible drinking and take away someone that was completely happy with their life," she said while sobbing.

Borselio's father Louis Borselio spoke solemnly about fond memories of his son, such as how well he could play the drums and how kind he was to other children in school.

"There are a lot of things he could have been in his life," said Louis Borselio.

Borselio's grandfather and uncle also spoke and the attorney for the family read a letter from Borselio's mother, who had to leave the room briefly at one point after being overcome with emotion. "This was no accident," wrote Borselio's mother Jessica Lewis in the letter. "Joey was doing nothing wrong."

Moore's attorney, Philip Russell, asked the judge to consider imposing the minimum sentence. He pointed to a letter written by Moore that expressed his feelings of regret over the accident.

"What hasn't been said is that Douglas Moore is terribly sorry and he has done nothing but express his remorse," said Russell, who told the court Moore had completely quit drinking since the accident.

Moore could have received between two and six years in prison for the Oct. 5, 2008, accident on Sheephill Road in which he struck Borselio, who was riding a bicycle. Borselio was pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors said Moore tried to leave the scene.

Comerford called the sentencing decision agonizing, but said that "justice has to be tempered by mercy."

"We are dealing with two good people here," Comerford said. "One is lost forever and another will be crossing into the rings of hell for a period of time, if he ever escapes those walls. I wouldn't want that on my conscience."

Moore did not speak during the proceedings, but looked back once before being taken away in handcuffs with tears streaming down his face.

Stamford defense attorney Mark Sherman said Moore's sentence was standard for this type of case.

"The sentence doesn't surprise me," Sherman said. "The criminal system has made it very clear that it has zero tolerance for someone who is drunk, gets behind the wheel and kills somebody."

Upon his release, Moore will be subject to three years of probation, community service and will partake in a victims' impact panel. The Borselio family also is pursuing a civil suit against Moore and Dave & Buster's in West Nyack, N.Y., where Moore was drinking the night of the accident.

"We have an active civil suit," said Bridgeport attorney Michael Stratton who said that Moore was drinking beers and shots for five hours before driving home.

Borselio's family said after the hearing they were disappointed with the lighter sentence and the way the justice system handles drunken driving in the state.

"I never knew that the sentences were so short," said Louis Borselio. "The system has to change. A lot has to change."

Borselio's grandmother said no matter the sentence, nothing will ever fill the void her grandson's death has created.

"I don't know what to say," said Borselio's grandmother Brigida Borselio. "I have to believe in the system. We miss him everyday."
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Brigida worked at my elementary school and was a very nice lady, friends with my grandmother and very caring/loving towards me. My thoughts are with their family.