Mother charged in wrong-way crash that killed son
Kerri Bedrick, the mother accused of killing her 9-year-old son in a wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway on Long Island, pleaded not guilty in court on Friday.
LONG ISLAND – A mother on Long Island is facing several charges after a wrong-way crash on the Southern State Parkway killed her 9-year-old son in Bay Shore, authorities say.
Who is Kerri Bedrick?
According to police, Kerri Bedrick, 32, of Centerport, was allegedly impaired and driving with an expired license at the time of the accident on Thursday morning.
Mom to be arraigned in deadly LI wrong-way crash
A 9-year-old was killed on Long Island after his mother, allegedly under the influence, drove the wrong way on the Southern State Parkway and crashed, authorities said. FOX 5 NY’s Briella Tomassetti has the details.
She was arraigned Friday morning 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.
NY State Police update on Long Island fatal crash
New York State Police held a press conference on Thursday morning to provide an update after a 9-year-old was killed in a crash on Long Island.
Officials say they found pills in the car, and that Bedrick admitted to taking them at 8 p.m., hours before the crash. Bedrick’s attorney says she uses medication because she suffers from spina bifida, narcolepsy and epilepsy.
According to the district attorney, Bedrick has 56 suspensions and in 2012, she was charged with DWI and trying to flee from police.
Her next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 27.
Southern State Parkway accident
New York State Troopers and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office patrols responded to the eastbound side of the parkway, just past exit 42, on Thursday around 2:20 a.m.
Long Island wrong-way crash kills 9-year-old
A young boy has died after police say his mother crashed into another vehicle while driving under the influence heading the wrong way on the Southern State Parkway.
Police say Bedrick was driving the wrong way in a 2022 Mitsubishi SUV while her son, Eli Henrys, was sitting in the back seat. She collided with another vehicle, which resulted in a four-car crash.
“To give you an idea of the severity of the impact, the engine of the wrong-way driving vehicle was thrown from that vehicle into the woods some distance from the collision point itself,” NYSP Major Stephen Udice said.
State troopers located Bedrick standing outside of the wreck while her son was still strapped in his seat belt.
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 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.
The scene Thursday morning on the Southern State Parkway.
“The state troopers did their best to save the boy’s life and this was a traumatic experience for all involved,” Udice said.
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.
“Well, prior to that collision, a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office patrol witnessed the vehicle traveling in the wrong direction and attempted to stop that vehicle,” Udice said. “However, the wrong way driver sped up and refused to stop.”
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.
“She is in denial, has not absorbed what happened to her and her son’s death,” Bedrick’s attorney said.
Bedrick is being held on $1 million cash and $2 million bond. Her attorney asked for a more reasonable bail telling the judge she wanted to attend her son’ss funeral, but the judge refused the request.
Bedrick is due back in court next week. Her charges could likely be upgraded, since the prosecution will present this case to a grand jury. The District Attorney is looking to upgrade the charges to homicide.
