Valley Stream Woman Pleads Guilty To Charges Stemming From 2025 Intoxicated Crash: DA

MINEOLA, NY — A Valley Stream woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to criminal charges stemming from a 2025 intoxicated crash that left another driver with permanent injuries, prosecutors said.

The Nassau County District Attorney’s office said 26-year-old Kelyse Land pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated vehicular assault, second-degree assault, third-degree assault and driving under the combined influence of alcohol and drugs Wednesday.

Those charges stemmed from a July 25, 2025 crash in which Land’s 2003 Nissan crossed over the double yellow lines on Hempstead Avenue and veered into oncoming traffic, ultimately striking a 2022 BMW head-on while it was stopped at a light, pushing the BMW back into another car, prosecutors said.

In the aftermath of the crash, the driver of the BMW suffered multiple fractures in their hand and wrist, which required more than three-dozen stitches and left the mobility in their wrist permanently injured, prosecutors said. A passenger in the BMW suffered a concussion and a sprained ankle, prosecutors said.

Investigations after the crash revealed that Land’s blood alcohol had been between .185 percent and .26 percent at the time of the crash, two-to-three times the legal limit, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said a sample of her blood taken three hours after the crash revealed a blood alcohol percentage of .17 percent, still double the legal limit.

According to district attorney Anne Donnelly, the alcohol wasn’t the only substance impacting Land’s ability to drive at the time of the crash.

“This defendant was more than twice the legal limit for alcohol and under the influence of marijuana when she drove the wrong way on Hempstead Avenue, crashing into two teenagers stopped at a red light,” Donnelly said. “Her decision to drive home drunk and high from a bar caused permanent damage to one victim’s wrist and various other injuries. She is lucky that her complete disregard for public safety did not end up costing a life. My prosecutors diligently worked every facet of the case to ensure that this defendant was held fully accountable for her crimes and the pain and suffering she caused.”

Land was arrested the night of the crash, prosecutors said. Police found an empty 50-mL bottle of Johnnie Walker Black Label in Land’s pocket after the crash, prosecutors said.

Land is due back in court Sept. 28 for sentencing, prosecutors said. Her sentence is expected to come down between two and six years in prison with a recommended sentence of four-to-nine years, prosecutors said.

When reached for comment on Land’s plea, her attorney, Aaron Wallenstein, said she was remorseful and hoped to put the crash behind her.

“She took responsibility for her actions, she feels bad in relation to the injuries suffered by the victims,” Wallenstein said. “Other than this one blemish, she has been an outstanding, contributing member of society, and she wants to put this behind her.”