Hudson Valley Man Accused Of Driving Drunk With Kids In Car

BRONXVILLE, NY — A Westchester man was accused of drunken driving while he had two children in the car and is being charged with a felony under Leandra's Law. State police said Claudio E. Soriano, 34, of Bronxville, was charged with driving while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle, a felony, endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, and vehicle and traffic violations.

Police said that, around 10 p.m. April 5, troopers stoped a vehicle on Archer Avenue in Yonkers for vehicle and traffic violations.

Soriano was found to be intoxicated, police said, and there were two children in his car.

He was taken into custody and process at the Tarrytown barracks where his blood alcohol content was determined to be 0.21 percent, police said.

Soriano was release to a sober third party and issued appearance tickets returnable to the City of Yonkers Court April 26.

Authorities said the children were each turned over to a responsible party.

Leandra's Law, or the Child Passenger Protection Act, was enacted in 2009 and said that first-time offenders driving while intoxicated or impaired by drugs while a child younger than 16 years old is in the vehicle may be charge with a felony punishable by up to four years in state prison.

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