OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
5:36 PM – Thursday, September 5, 2024
During her arraignment on Wednesday afternoon, prosecutors revealed that a mother from Long Island who is accused of killing her young son in a wrong-way crash while “high on methamphetamines” has now had her license revoked for the 57th time.
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Following Kerri Bedrick’s arraignment, in which she entered a not guilty plea to murder charges, Suffolk County Judge Richard I. Horowitz ruled that the 32-year-old’s driver’s license would be suspended until the case was resolved and detained her without bond privilege.
When Bedrick drove the wrong way on the Southern State Parkway at 2:15 a.m. on August 22nd, causing a four-car collision that killed her 9-year-old son, investigators stated that her license had already been revoked 56 times, making this the 57th.
When a deputy sheriff first saw Bedrick driving the wrong way, he attempted to pull her over, but she accelerated faster and drove around the deputy’s car, according to the prosecutors.
As she hit 100 miles per hour into oncoming traffic in eastbound lanes, the deputy followed her for more than five miles in a westbound lane from a safe distance, according to the prosecution. Eventually, according to the district attorney’s office, Bedrick’s car hit other vehicles so hard that her engine launched into the woods.
Eli D. Henrys, her 9-year-old son, was discovered unconscious in the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse’s backseat. He subsequently passed away from his wounds in the hospital.
Prosecutors claim that after the crash, authorities discovered a prescription bottle inside the defendant’s car with the label ripped off, “seemingly proving” she was under the influence when the defendant went on her driving rampage.
Last month, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney, Laura Newcombe, claimed that the driver allegedly told police that the night before the fatal collision, at around 8 p.m., she had taken methamphetamines. However, her lawyer claims that she was prescribed them. It is unclear if he was referring to the drugs Desoxyn, Adderall, or something else. Drugs of that nature typically treat individuals who suffer from Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or narcolepsy.
She is charged with murder as well as manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, and other connected offenses, such as aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
Prior to the collision, Bedrick’s license had already been suspended 56 times on eight separate days. On Wednesday, she received yet another suspension. State law also permits a driver to receive several suspensions in a single day for a variety of reasons.
The several charges, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney, show “the severe nature” of the crime, which he also described as a “heinous act.”
“The loss of life in this incident, particularly that of a young child, is heartbreaking,” Tierney said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Bedrick’s attorney, Scott Zerner, labeled the incident a “tragic accident.”
“No one on this planet is more upset about it than she is,” he told reporters. “She suffers from ailments and has been prescribed the methamphetamine properly by a doctor, and she was not under [the] influence of any alcohol or any non-prescription drug that she was not prescribed.”
After the crash, while Bedrick’s son was being rushed to the hospital, she and the other two drivers received medical attention for their injuries.
The negligent mother, whose next court appointment is October 22nd, faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if proven guilty of the top count. She is being held without bail.
The deceased boy’s grandmother, Diane Bedrick, has set up a GoFundMe to pay for his funeral costs.
“We have asked for help with Eli’s funeral expenses here. But also if you prefer Eli and his Mom loved to foster animals from the shelter. Donations can also be made to your local shelter or wildlife refuge,” the grandmother posted.
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