ALBANY COUNTY — Sharifabdul Ali, 48, of Selkirk, who had been charged under Leandra’s Law for driving drunk with a child, a felony, pleaded guilty on Feb. 7.

He made the plea in Albany County Court before Judge Peter A. Lynch.

Ali, who will be sentenced on April 4, faces seven months in Albany County’s jail, followed by five years of probation; five years of using an ignition interlock; a $1,000 fine; and revocation of his driver’s license for a minimum of 12 months, subject to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Leandra’s Law is named for Leandra Rosada, who was 11 when she was killed in a car that flipped on the Henry Hudson Parkway in New York City; the car was being driven by a friend of the child’s mother, who was speeding and believed to be drunk at the time. The law makes driving while intoxicated an automatic felony when a child 15 or younger is in the vehicle.

According to accounts from the Bethlehem Police and the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, events unfolded this way: Ali crashed on Sept. 24, 2017 at about 1:30 p.m., on South Albany Road in the area of Currey Avenue in Selkirk. He drove a Federal Express van off the road, while he was drunk and with his 5-year-old daughter as as passenger in the front seat.

A witness heard the crash and then saw Ali revving the engine, trying to dislodge the vehicle. Ali then fled on foot with the child.

When he was found at his home, Ali admitted to having drunk alcohol before driving and crashing; he said he had swerved to miss a deer.

The child sustained minor injuries.

Ali underwent both a breath test and blood test and was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .18.