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.

Queens Baby Dies After Falling into Mop Bucket at Day Care Center

Daily News- Police were investigating the death of a Queens baby who perished Monday when he fell headfirst into a mop bucket at his baby-sitter's house.

James Farrior, who would have been 1 year old next month, was declared dead at Jamaica Hospital at 11:25 a.m.

"What can I say, he was my baby? We're trying to cope," said his devastated mom, Chrisann Josiah. "We don't know what happened yet."

It was not immediately clear if James drowned or broke his neck. An autopsy will be performed today.

"I saw the firefighters bring the boy out. He was gasping for air," said neighbor Billy Casares, 41. "It's heartbreaking."

Baby-sitter Kristal Khan, 28, who normally took care of two neighborhood kids along with her small son and daughter in an informal but legal day care arrangement, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, police said.

Police sources said Khan told cops James and her two kids, ages 3 and 4, were in the living room with the bucket when she went to fetch a mop.

When she came back, she found James had fallen headfirst into the blue 7-gallon mop bucket that was three-quarters full of water.

Neighbor Liz Rivero, 31, a mother of three, said she began to pray when she saw a firefighter running Monday morning with the baby, limp and faceup, to an ambulance waiting a block away.
"I started to cry when I saw that. I am a mom," Rivero said.

Khan and a man neighbors said was her brother were taken away for questioning.

"They looked sad," Rivero said.

At Khan's green two-story house on 108th St. in South Richmond Hill, colorful stickers on the door advertise, "Childcare, All Day, Everyday."

The operation had no permits or license, but did not require any because there were fewer than three outside kids and the caregiver was older than 18.

Neighbors said Khan is well-known and well-regarded.

"She usually takes good care of the kids," said William Munoz, 40. "She's a very responsible person."

Khan's Web site says she is a married, convent-educated immigrant from Trinidad who taught elementary school for eight years and has a teacher certificate.

Because children can drown quickly and virtually silently in small amounts of water, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children, after car crashes.