WEST BABYLON, N.Y. – A family on Long Island has been forced out of their home right before
Thanksgiving after an alleged drunk driver crashed into it.
Police say Thomas Keane backed out of his driveway on Justice Street in West Babylon, crashed into a parked car, and then hit the house across the street.
Video from the scene shows the rear of the large SUV smashed through the wall of the home.
“Only hope they take of him in the justice system and he gets some help for himself,” neighbor Chris Loverde said.
DWI arrests up in Suffolk County
Suffolk County officials say DWI arrests are up. Last holiday season, from Thanksgiving Eve to Jan. 2, there were 166
DWI arrests by the Suffolk Police Department.
“Twenty five thousand dollars is a very, very conservative estimate of what DWI will cost you in Suffolk County, between insurance premiums, legal fees, lost wages,” Suffolk County Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. “You can essentially take Ubers and rideshares for the rest of your life and have it not cost you as much as a DWI will cost you.”
Suffolk County leaders have a simple message: Don’t drive impaired
Advocates, impacted families, and survivors spoke out Wednesday, hoping their message is loud and clear.
“The silence of an empty chair at our holiday and every day tables is deafening,” Alisa McMorris said.
This is the seventh Thanksgiving Alisa and John McMorris will be without their son, Andrew. The 12-year-old was
hiking with his Boy Scout troop when he was hit by a drunk driver.
“We made a promise we would never let this happen to anyone else,” she said.
Other impacted families joined them in
that promise.
“Our nightmare is forever. Timothy was our only child,” Andrea Carpenter said.
Ahead of the holiday weekend, Suffolk County leaders begged drivers to not drive impaired.
“Do you really want to be responsible for causing the death or serious injury of another individuals through your other careless disregard for others?” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.
“Spending $130 to stay overnight at a hotel is the least of your worries if it means you won’t ruin a family life driving home intoxicated,” Rockville Centre resident Daijonee Vanderveer said.
In an effort to keep everyone safe, Suffolk County police plane to have more officers on patrol conducting DWI checkpoints throughout the weekend.
CREDIT: CBS news Jenna DeAngelis
