Utica Man Accused Of Driving Drunk With A Child In His Vehicle

A Utica man is facing charges under Leandra’s Law after an alleged drunk driving accident on the Thruway.

State Police say 56-year-old Michael Richlin crashed into a car on I-90 in the Town of Phelps being driven by 65-year-old  Edward  Miller of Honeoye, NY on June 17.

Police say Richlin's vehicle left the road and overturned.

Troopers say Richlin was found to be intoxicated with a 6-year-old in his vehicle.

He was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester with non-life-threatening injuries, where he consented to a blood draw.

There were no other injuries reported.

Richlin is facing charges including DWI, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated with a Child in the car and endangering the welfare of a child.

He was turned over to a sober third party with appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Phelps Court on June 22,

Leandra’s Law is a New York State law making it an automatic felony on the first offense to drive drunk with a person 15 or younger inside the vehicle and setting the blood alcohol or BAC of 0.08.

The bill was signed into law in November of 2009.

It’s named after Leandra Rosado, an 11-year-old girl, was killed in a drunk driving crash on the Henry Hudson Parkway in New York City on October 11, 2009.