20-year-old Charged With Felony DWI Under Leandra's Law

A 20-year-old man from Mohegan Lake stopped for driving a car with a loud muffler has been charged with felony drunken driving under New York State's Leandra's Law, according to the Bedford police department.

Brian Forbes also faces misdemeanor DWI charges related to driving under the influence of a combination of alcohol and drugs, and have a BAC content over .08 percent, police said.

The incident began when a Bedford police officer stopped Forbes near the intersection of Routes 35 and 22 on April 28. When the officer approached the vehicle, he detected a strong odor of marijuana, and noticed that Forbes had glassy eyes and spoke with slurred speech. The officer also said he saw "items" in the car that led him to believe drug use had taken place.

After questioning both Forbes and his 15-year-old passenger, the officer administered field sobriety tests and a breathalyzer test which indicated Forbes had a .11 BAC level. Because of the passenger's age, the incident was violation of Leandra's Law, which carries tougher penalities for drunken driving with a child in a vehicle.

Forbes was released on $500 bail pending an appearance in Bedford town court on May 5.