A 26-year-old Batavia mother of three young children who was among the first people in the state arrested in 2009 under "Leandra's Law" avoided a felony conviction in that case, reports WHAM 13's Sean Carroll.
Following her conviction on a single count of driving while ability impaired, Michelle Crawford also wasn't required to drive a car with an interlock ignition device.
Crawford was seriously injured in a single-car rollover accident in Byron last week and investigators say charges are pending in that case.
Erie County Judge William Boller who convicted Crawford of DWAI and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, berated Crawford for putting her children in harm's way and then sentenced her to 60 days in jail and probation, according to video in Carroll's report.
At the time of the December 2009 arrest, Crawford's three children were 4, 3 and 17 months old.
"Leandra's Law," named after a little girl killed in a car crash involving an allegedly drunken driver, makes it a felony to drive drunk with children 15 years old or younger in the car.
The law also required anybody convicted of drunken driving to have an interlock ignition -- designed to keep a person who has alcohol on his breath from starting a car -- on any car the person might drive.
Carroll reports that Crawford was convicted of DWI in 2007 and that her license was revoked in 2009.
The car she reportedly drove March 8 was registered to a Batavia man whom Carroll reports Crawford was living with. Carroll said the car's owner was sleeping when Crawford allegedly took the car and he didn't know about the accident until seeing news reports the following morning.
Crawford's children are reportedly living with relatives in Erie County.
Am I the only one tired of
Am I the only one tired of the system not standing behind the laws they pass, seeing as how much money it costs to pass them and the costs of these trials!!!!
Dot, You are NOT the only
Dot,
You are NOT the only one! I agree 100% !!!