Long Island mother hit with new charges in son’s death
There are new charges against the mother who pleaded not guilty to killing her son in a wrong-way crash on Long Island. FOX 5 NY’s Jodi Goldberg has more on what she’s now facing and how she reacted in the courtroom.
LONG ISLAND – New charges have been filed against a mother on Long Island who pleaded not guilty to killing her son in a wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway.
Kerri Bedrick was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair and at times cried while prosecutors laid out disturbing details of the crash.
She was arraigned the morning of Friday, Aug. 23 on $1 million cash – $2 million bond – in Central Islip. The full list of charges she faces includes:
- Aggravated unlicensed operation.
- Operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs.
- Aggravated DWI.
- Endangering the welfare of a child.
- Criminal possession of a stimulant.
The 32-year-old is accused of killing her 9-year-old son, Eli Henrys. Prosecutors say he was buckled into the backseat of a 2022 Mitsubishi SUV as Bedrick drove the wrong way for miles at speeds of up to 100 mph on the Southern State Parkway before slamming into three on Aug. 22.
New York State Troopers and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office patrols responded to the eastbound side of the parkway, just past exit 42, on Aug 22. around 2:20 a.m.
After the crash, state troopers located Bedrick standing outside the wreck while her son was still strapped into his seat.
According to court documents, the officers who arrived at the scene noticed that Bedrick had watery eyes and slurred speech.
She was asked where she was driving to and from, she told the police “I honestly don’t know.”
The officers performed CPR on Eli, both in the car and then in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, but couldn’t save him.
Two other drivers, Haydee Meyer, 29, and David Picard, 24, were taken to Good Samaritan Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. A third driver, a 63-year-old man, was not injured.
Bedrick also sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was seen being escorted out of the hospital by police in handcuffs. Investigators say cops were trailing Bedrick’s SUV before the deadly crash.
Police found pills in Bedrick’s car, which she admitted that she had taken at 8 p.m., hours before the crash. Her attorney says she takes prescription drugs because she suffers from spina bifida, narcolepsy and epilepsy and also stated that Bedrick is a victim of domestic violence.
“It’s a nightmare. She was only on prescription medications,” Bedrick’s mother said.
Laying out the crash details in court
According to prosecutors, Bedrick was impaired by methamphetamine and multiple pills were recovered from a bottle found inside her SUV. According to police, the bottle’s name was peeled off.
Bedrick’s attorney, Scott Zerner, says the tragedy was an accident and that Bedrick was only on the drugs she was prescribed.
“We need doctors and pharmacists to tell us exactly what the situation is, whether the prescription impacted her ability to operate a motor vehicle,” Zerner said.
Prosecutors say Bedrick’s license had been suspended 56 times, including a DWI conviction from 2012 when she tried to run from police.
State Sen. Dean Murray, who advocates for traffic safety laws and regulations, says people like Bedrick can easily slip through the cracks because prosecutors don’t have the time or staff to go after repeat traffic offenders.
“They’re overwhelmed with these cases, they have to get everything, all the paperwork about every single suspension,” he said. “They have to get it and send it to the defense attorney, including copies of certified letters that were sent notifying the person that their license was suspended.”
Despite Bedrick’s attorney asking the judge to set reasonable bail, saying it would allow his client to grieve the death of her son and get medical care for physical and psychological issues, the judge ordered her held.
Bedrick faces a maximum of 25 to life in prison if found guilty.
