Cops: Leandra's Law charge for speeder on Robert Moses bridge
Patrick Osbern, 49, was arrested after a traffic stop on the Robert Moses Causeway Bridge at 3:17 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, and charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated under Leandra's Law, as well as with endangering the welfare of a child and traffic violations, State Police said. Credit: NYS Police
A Kings Park man was arrested and charged with felony drunken driving under Leandra's Law after state troopers stopped him Sunday driving his Jeep 85 mph on the Robert Moses Causeway Bridge -- with his 13-year-old son in the vehicle, police said Tuesday.
State Police said Patrick Osbern, 49, was arrested after the stop at 3:17 p.m.
He was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated under Leandra's Law, as well as with endangering the welfare of a child and traffic violations. Court records indicate Osbern was arraigned Monday in Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip and ordered held in lieu of $15,000 bond or $7,500 cash bail.
Records show Osbern was remanded. He is scheduled to appear in court again Friday.
Police said Osbern was driving his 2014 Jeep Wrangler south on the main span of the bridge when he was stopped by troopers from the Brentwood barracks. Police said he failed roadside sobriety tests and was arrested. His son was in the front passenger seat at the time of arrest, police said. Court records show a temporary restraining order was issued against Osbern at his arraignment Monday.
Police said the child was released to his mother.
Leandra's Law is named for 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed when the car she was in, driven by a drunken driver, overturned on the Henry Hudson Parkway in October 2009. The law makes it a felony, even on first offense, to drive drunk with a passenger under age 16.
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.”
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