Wyandanch man charged with DWI with child in car, cops say

Suffolk County police arrested a Wyandanch man early Sunday morning, charging him with aggravated driving while intoxicated under Leandra's Law when he was stopped in Selden with his 6-year-old son in the car, police said. 

Marcellus David, 37, of 88 Lincoln Ave., Wyandanch, was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child passenger 15-Years-old or younger (Leandra’s Law) and endangering the welfare of a child. He was held overnight at the Sixth Precinct and was scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip Sunday. Arraignment information was unavailable Sunday afternoon.

Leandra's Law makes it an automatic felony on the first offense to drive drunk (.08 blood alcohol level or higher) with a person 15 years old or younger.

On Sunday at 1:25 a.m. a Suffolk Selective Alcohol Fatality Enforcement (SAFE-T) officer stopped a 2003 Nissan Frontier after he observed the car making an illegal left turn while travelling eastbound on Middle Country Road in Selden.  When the officer approached the Nissan, he determined the driver was intoxicated and that there was a 6-year-old boy in the car, police said.  David was arrested and the child was released to the custody of a family member at the scene.

By Joie Tyrrell

joie.tyrrell@newsday.com@JoieTyrrell

Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.