Crime & Safety

Teen Go-Kart Driver is First on Shelter Island Charged Under Leandra's Law

An 18-year-old Shelter Island man begins court proceedings next week for a felony aggravated DWI charge — the first on Shelter Island under Leandra's Law — after he drove a go-kart with two minors as passengers.

A Shelter Island teen is out on bail and faces court proceedings on Monday after being arrested for driving a go-kart while intoxicated last week.

Lennon Sarfarti, 18, of Shelter Island was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with children – the first felony charge on Shelter Island under Leandra’s Law – on June 30 at 4:34 a.m., after stopped him for driving a go-kart carrying minors as passengers on West Neck Road, police said. Sarfarti was also charged with DWI, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and several motor vehicle violations.

Passed in 2009, Leandra’s Law is a New York State law making drunk driving with a person age 15 or younger inside the vehicle an automatic felony. The law was named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado, who was killed on the Henry Hudson Parkway in New York City on Oct. 11, 2009 when her friend’s mother flipped the car they were in while allegedly driving while intoxicated.

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“Leandra’s law applies specifically when children under 16 are involved,” said Shelter Island Police Sgt. Jack Thilberg. “The other charges apply to children 16 to 18. Both age groups were involved in this case.”

Police said that Sarfati was driving the go-kart from a party when he was stopped. He was arraigned last week in Shelter Island Justice Court and was held on $10,000 bail at Suffolk County Jail in Riverhead. Sarfati is currently out on bail and returns to court on Monday. Sarfati declined to comment on the case.

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After a follow-up investigation of Sarfati’s arrest, police charged Lucas Knight, also 18, of Shelter Island on July 3 at 4:10 p.m. for unlawfully dealing with a child and for hosting a party at a North Ferry Road residence where several under-age youths were allowed to consume alcohol, police said. Knight was released on an appearance ticket and instructed to return to Shelter Island Justice Court on a later date.


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