Dad arrested on DWI, Leandra's Law charges after accident in West Hempstead, police say
Alonso Mendez, 36, of Garden City, was arrested on Sunday, June 28, 2015, and charged with drunken driving under Leandra's Law, as well as aggravated drunken driving, driving while intoxicated and endangering the welfare of a child, police said. Credit: NCPD
A minor car accident led to the arrest of a Garden City man on drunken driving charges under Leandra's Law late Sunday in West Hempstead, Nassau County police said.
Alonso Mendez, 36, of 34 Grove St., was arrested following the crash on Hempstead Turnpike at 10:25 p.m. Police said his wife and 2-year-old son were in the car, leading to the Leandra's Law charge -- which makes it a felony, even on first offense, to drive drunk with a passenger under age 16.
Police said patrol officers spotted the 2003 Honda Civic driven by Mendez and the other vehicle involved in the accident, stopped on the road shoulder, and upon investigation determined the Garden City man was intoxicated.
He was charged with aggravated drunken driving, driving while intoxicated and endangering the welfare of a child.
He is scheduled for arraignment Monday in First District Court in Hempstead.
Police said no one was injured and the child was released to his mother at the scene.
John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”
