Ikasalo charged under Leandra’s Law

Denise M. Ikasalo

After she crashed her car on Tuesday evening, a Slingerlands woman was arrested for two felony counts under Leandra’s Law.

Denise M. Ikasalo, 40, had two passengers younger than 15 in her Volkswagen Routan when she rear-ended a Toyota XB at the intersection of Elm Avenue and Feura Bush Road, according to a release from Bethlehem Police. The driver of the Toyota was treated for minor injuries at the scene.

Police determined through a field test and a chemical test that Ikasalo was intoxicated, the release said.

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.

In addition to the two felony counts of aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child in the vehicle, Ikasalo was also charged with two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and with misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest; driving while intoxicated; driving with a blood alcohol content greater than .08 percent; aggravated driving while intoxicated, for having a blood alcohol content greater than .18 percent; and with traffic violations of following too closely, and refusing to submit to a pre-screening device.

Ikasalo was arraigned in Bethlehem Town Court and released on $15,000 bail. She is scheduled to return to Bethlehem Court on Tuesday, April 3.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer

 

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