Long Island Man Drove Drunk With Child, 5, In SUV: Police

YAPHANK, NY — A Mastic Beach man was caught driving drunk with a five-year-old child in his SUV after he was involved in a crash in Yaphank on Christmas, Suffolk police said.

Highway Patrol officers responded to a motor vehicle crash during which a 2019 Toyota Sienna crashed into the center median on the eastbound Long Island Expressway, east of Exit 66, at around 8 p.m., according to police.

It was determined that the driver of the Toyota, Daniel Kissoon, was intoxicated, and he had a five-year-old child as a passenger in the vehicle, police said.

The child was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital for evaluation, but Kissoon was not injured, according to police.

Kissoon, 34, was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child passenger 15 years old or younger under Leandra’s Law and endangering the welfare of a child.

Leandra’s Law is named Leandra Rosado who died as the passenger of a car driven by a drunk driver. It makes the first such offense an automatic felony.

He was held overnight at the 6th Precinct in Selden and scheduled for arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on Tuesday.

His Toyota was impounded for a safety check, police said.

Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the 6th Squad at 631-854-8652.