Old Westbury Woman Guilty of Driving Drunk With Child in Car

An Old Westbury woman was found guilty Wednesday of driving drunk and causing a crash while her 3-year-old child was in the back seat of her car in 2014, according to Nassau County District Attorney Madeline Singas.

Ariadne Tannous, 37, was found guilty of aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree and two counts of misdemeanor DWI.

On April 4, 2014, Tannous was driving on Glen Cove Road, north of Westbury Avenue, in Carle Place when she struck an SUV traveling in front of her car at 4:30 p.m., the DA says. Officers arrived to the scene and noticed Tannous had a strong odor of alcohol on her breath and glassy eyes, the DA says.

The investigation allegedly revealed her license had been previously suspended and she had a BAC of at least .20 percent, which is more than twice the legal limit.

Tannous claimed she was distracted by her child, which caused the crash during the trial, the DA says.

“This defendant endangered the life of her young child and every driver and pedestrian when she drove drunk on Nassau’s busy roads,” Singas said in a press release. “It’s a miracle nobody was injured or killed by [Tannous’] incredible indifference to the lives of her own child and the public.”

Tannous faces a maximum of 1 1/ to 4 years in prison if convicted of the top charge. She will be sentenced on Oct. 28.

Image via NCPD