A woman was arrested for allegedly driving drunk with her child in the vehicle in Northern Westchester, New York. Authorities said she was a driving while intoxicated (DWI) repeat offender.

Jennifer MacDonald, 43, was arrested when Yorktown Police arrived to investigate a report of a single-car crash on East Main Street in Jefferson Valley. Officers found that McDonald’s car had hit a utility pole.

Her 12-year-old child was in the vehicle’s rear seat during the crash. Investigators determined that MacDonald was intoxicated and had been driving without an ignition interlock device. New York judges require DWI offenders to install the device in their vehicle to ensure it does not start if a certain amount of alcohol is detected.

Authorities said MacDonald was a DWI repeat offender with a previous drunk driving conviction within the last 10 years. She was transported to a hospital for a medical evaluation before being taken to police headquarters.

MacDonald was charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a child in the vehicle and aggravated driving without a license. All the charges are felonies. She was also charged with misdemeanor counts of operating a vehicle without an interlock device and endangering the welfare of a child.

While a DWI first offense is treated as a misdemeanor, repeat offenses are classified as felonies. Anyone who is arrested for DWI a second time within 10 years will be charged with a Class E felony.

If you have been accused of a DWI repeat offense in New York, you need quality legal representation. Drunk driving offenses come with harsh consequences that become more severe for repeat offenders. The court imposes more jail time, heftier fines and longer periods of driver’s license revocation to deter a person from drunk driving again. Previous convictions are also considered for sentencing purposes.

Brill Legal Group can defend you from the serious penalties that come with DWI repeat offenses. Our DWI defense attorneys are committed to fighting for your rights. Contact us today for a free initial consultation.