Girl Calls 911 From Car as Her Mother Allegedly Drives Drunk

by Tom Henderson (Subscribe to Tom Henderson's posts) Jul 27th 2010 3:00PM

Categories: In The News, Weird But True, Alcohol & Drugs

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Credit: New York State Police

A 12-year-old girl called 911 from a car on Interstate 84 in New York earlier this week. The emergency? She reported her mother was not speaking properly and was weaving into other lanes while she was driving.

Now, Jamie Hicks, 48, of Islip, N.Y., faces more than a year in jail on felony drunken driving charges.

The girl and a 10-year-old were still in the car July 25, when New York State police arrested Hicks and charged her with driving while intoxicated. According to police reports, her blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.

The New York Post reports the arrest was made at about 6 p.m.

Hicks was lodged in the Putnam County Jail on $1,000 bail and was released today.
Capt. Robert Nuzzo of the New York State Police Department tells ParentDish Hicks is scheduled to appear in court at 3 p.m. on Aug. 17. He says she was arrested under Leandra's Law, a New York law that makes it a felony to drive drunk with children in the vehicle.

The law, which went into effect Dec. 18, 2009, was named after Leandra Rosado, an 11-year-old girl who was killed on the West Side Highway in New York City two months earlier when her friend's mother, Carmen Huertas, flipped the car they were in while allegedly drunk. Six other children also were injured during the incident.

If found guilty of the felony, Nuzzo tells ParentDish, Hicks could face more than a year behind bars.

Related: North Dakota Mom Accused of Breast-Feeding While Drunk

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Comments (131)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)

MemoriesGrow 7-27-2010 @ 7:27PM

Man, that took a lot of courage on the daughter's part. Hope that her father is in the picture or other caring family members.

Hmm, getting wasted in the afternoon, pick up your daughter and then hit the highway only to have your daughter call the cops on you - from your own car. Mom of the year candidate?

Judy 7-28-2010 @ 9:38AM

Typical yankee so called mom. All those yankees are a bunch of baggy pants sideways NY cap drunk deadbeats.

All Winners LOVE Winners 7-28-2010 @ 10:31AM

COMMENT 1: AMEN (-:

Jenny 7-28-2010 @ 1:39PM

Lisa,

Wow! You are nasty. This girl loves her mother. The mother loves her daughter. To give them support to help them through this is a human thing to do. But, I forget -- most of us in America now are ruthless, unfeeling, disconpassionate, uncaring, violent and nasty. The American spirit is fading away.....sad. Most children do not want to be taken away from their parents, no matter what. This child probably doesn't want to have her mom be away for one year. I might be wrong, but from all my years on this earth (78) I have seen that children love their parents despite their faults. We should all take a page from that book. Love the person -- don't tie them intricately to what they do or don't. Lisa, I hope you never have an imperfection in your life, you may not know what to do. But, on the other hand, you will probably do what most Americans do -- blame it on someone else.

Paula 7-28-2010 @ 6:18PM

Judy, your comment makes no sense whatsoever. Surely, you are aware that things like drunk driving and child neglect and endangerment happen in every state in the US, and every country in the world.

Abraxus 7-28-2010 @ 6:26PM

Daughter of the year candidate for sure - although her Mom probably doesn't see it that way, her kid just saved her life because driving and drinking don't mix, and if you're THAT drunk THAT early in the day you have a major alcohol addiction problem. Jail might be her only cure!

Martha Hurd 8-03-2010 @ 1:23AM

now this is one smart kid. and a very brave one drunk driving should be on the laws top list. they shouldn't have to wait for the third time you are caugh and do something they should throw the book at you the first time you are caught.

Wendy 7-28-2010 @ 6:23AM

Get this brave child to ALATEEN! I hope she (and her mother) have support of family during this difficult time in their lives.

Lisa 7-28-2010 @ 11:04AM

The mother deserves no support from anyone. This child is a hero and lucky to be alive. Only facing one year in jail for putting her child's life in danger? Unbelievable. It's just a matter of time before she does it again. The child should be taken away from her.

Katie 7-28-2010 @ 12:17PM

Geez Lisa. While what this mother did was wrong and she needs to be punished, to say that SHE doesn't deserve any support almost guarantees that she won't be successful in beating the alcohol addiction that she clearly has!
But then again Lisa, you've probably never ever made a mistake or regretted a decision you've ever made because you appear to be perfect!
Congratulations to this 12 year old hero! What she did took a tremendous amount of courage! I hope that she AND her mother get tons of support and love to help them become even better as time goes on....Oh, and Lisa, I hope you get some help and support so you're not so judgemental and harsh on fellow human beings!

mv 7-28-2010 @ 9:06AM

I was expecting information on what help the authorities gave to the children after this ordeal. The reporter missed that important part of the story.

ricochet 7-28-2010 @ 10:18AM

I agree. I wanted to know how the police got the car stopped and what happened with the mother and daughter.

Bob 7-28-2010 @ 9:14AM

It is a shame they will have to lose a year of their lives but at least they both live. Hopefully the mother will have time to dry out and think. Some decisions are important and have life altering consequences. If people would only THINK.

ruburitetoday 7-28-2010 @ 9:21AM

Bob,

Kenny Nash here......... most of them do think..........after it's all over. This is a very sad story but for once thank God for cell phones. These days it seems cell phones are killing more young drivers/passengers than saving them.

Kenny Nash

Youtube "DESIRE"

JOSEPH 7-28-2010 @ 9:23AM

YOU CALL THIS WOMAN A PARENT??DRINKING AND DRIVING IS SUICIDE, WITH A CHILD IN THE CAR,THEY OUTTA CHARGE THE A-HOLE WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER!!THAT WAS A SMART AND BRAVE THING THAT CHILD DID BY CALLING THE POLICE RIGHT FROM THE CAR AS THEY WERE TRAVLING!! SHE SAVED BOTH OF THIER LIVES!! AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS ON THE HIGHWAY!! THE STATE SHOULD YANK HER LICENSE FOREVER,AS SHE PUT HER CHILDS LIFE IN JEPORDY!!

sandra cannon 7-28-2010 @ 10:21AM

I know, that was a very brave thing to do BUT, now what happens to the daughter? I hope she's somewhere safe so Mom cant get to her to "punish" her for getting mom put in jail. SHE is the one that needs protection right now, who knows what mommy dearest will do now that she's out on bail? Make the little girl pay for the call? (and I dont mean money). Someone (child welfare) needs to be checking on this situation until mommy dearest goes to jail and the daughter is safe from that alcoholic POS, Im sure she'd blame the whole incident on the child and do a head-job on her. Poor girl, too bad mommy didnt overdose on alcohol.

ajschrod 7-28-2010 @ 11:04AM

There is no reason to use foul language or italicize everything to make your point, Joseph. Those things take away from the goodness of your blog.

ruby 7-28-2010 @ 11:28AM

i thought shorthand was ok !!! who mistreated you all in school?!!! ROFLMFAO!!!!!!!!

MemeL 7-28-2010 @ 2:09PM

I pray that this mother is able to get the help she needs to raise her children rather than end up killing herself or them all. Perhaps jail will dry her out and she'll come out a better mom than before. Pray for them all rather than tear them all apart and thank God that the little girl had the knowledge to call 911 and save lives before something horrible happened.
Joseph - please unlock the caps button! Caps are not only used as 'shouting', but for those of us who have had strokes and for epileptics like my daughter, they cause seizures.

dd 7-28-2010 @ 9:34AM

I am all for paying the price for bad decisions, but I find amazing that Lindsay Lohan gets little jail time for a DUI and regular citizens get more time. This Mom should be jailed for this definitely.