Leandra's Law comes to Croton.
A Beacon woman was arrested for alleged drunk driving on Route 9 in Croton-on-Hudson with young children in the car. She faces serious felony charges under a law enacted in 2009.
On Friday, May 16, a New York State trooper arrested Jennifer L. Moore, 36, of Beacon for allegedly driving drunk on Route 9 in Croton. Three children, ages 1, 2, and 13, were in the car at the time. Moore was taken to the state police facility in Cortlandt, where she reportedly refused to provide a breath sample.
According to the state police press release:
“Moore was charged with the following offenses:
• Three counts of Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child/Passenger- Less than 16 (Leandra’s Law) (E Felony)
• Driving While Intoxicated (Unclassified Misdemeanor)
• Multiple Vehicle and Traffic Violations
Moore was arraigned in the Village of Croton-on-Hudson Court where she was released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to reappear on May 21, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.”
Among the several offenses Moore is charged with is “Leandra’s Law,” which was signed by then New York governor David A. Paterson on November 18, 2009, after being unanimously approved by both houses of the state legislature.
Some readers may recall the history of this law. It was first proposed by the governor in August 2009, after a huge and tragic accident on the Taconic State Parkway on July 26 of that same year. Eight people were killed, including the driver of one of the vehicles, Diane Schuler; toxicology testing revealed that Schuler was intoxicated with both alcohol and marijuana at the time.
Then, on October 11 of the same year, 11 year old Leandra Rosado was killed when she was thrown from a vehicle driven by Carmen Huertas on the Henry Hudson Parkway after it flipped over while she was speeding. Leandra and six of her friends were packed into the car, and Huertas’s own daughter was hurt in the accident. This lead to the quick passage of Leandra’s Law, which makes it a felony to drive intoxicated with a child 15 years or younger in the car. The penalty for a first offense is up to four years in prison, and anyone convicted of it must install an ignition interlock in their vehicle.
New York was one of a dozen states to have enacted such a law at that time. Leandra’s father, Lenny Rosado, stood nearby during the signing of the law, holding a picture of his daughter with tears streaming down his face, according to a CNN report.
"On that night of October 11, I lost my only child," Rosado said while choking back tears. "As a single parent, she was my heart, my soul and my best friend."
In October 2010, Carmen Huertas, who had pled guilty to the charges, was sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison. The New York Daily News reported her remarks in court:
“I am not a monster,” the mother of three said while members of her family sobbed. “I am a loving mother who made a horrible decision that caused the death of a wonderful child. I know that I must be punished.”
Of course, Jennifer Moore is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Defense attorneys have well worked out strategies in cases of Leandra’s Law, and no assumptions should be made about how this particular case will play out.
The Chronicle will cover the case closely, including Jennifer Moore’s appearance in Croton court this coming Wednesday, May 21.
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Comments policy: No personal attacks, please be polite and respectful. Please also remember that anyone accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
What a sad story. Just so everyone understands, this is not the same Jennifer Moore who is our local teacher.