7-Year-Old Girl In Car When Driver Arrested For DWI On I-87: NYSP

TOWN OF WOODBURY, NY — A Newburgh man was arrested in the Town of Woodbury for potentially putting the life of a child at risk, according to state police.

New York State Police said that a trooper on routine patrol on June 14 saw a 2019 Nissan Rogue parked on the right shoulder of the roadway, near Central Valley.

The driver, later identified as 54-year-old Carlos A. Mejia, was standing outside the vehicle, and told the trooper that he had pulled over while returning from a family gathering in Yonkers.

While speaking with the driver, the trooper detected a strong odor of alcoholic beverage on Mejia's breath and noticed signs of impairment, including bloodshot, watery eyes. In addition, open containers of beer were seen inside the vehicle.

Mejia admitted to drinking "a couple of beers" after exhibiting several indicators of intoxication during field sobriety testing, according to NYSP.

The trooper found that an adult woman and a 7-year-old girl were also in the vehicle at the time.

Mejia was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated (common law), aggravated DWI (child in vehicle), consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, a seatbelt violation (child passenger), and stopping/standing on pavement.