He may have run, but he did not hide.
In fact, Dennis Brodeur could not hide anywhere from a new law that imposes harsher penalties for causing physical injury to another person while driving under the influence.
The law was enacted in November, and this gentleman was the first who met the criteria for it, said Heather Streeter Orth, director of communications for Albany County District Attorney David Soares.
Brodeur became the first person convicted of `aggravated vehicular assault` when he pleaded guilty on Tuesday, July 1.
Attempts to reach Brodeur at the Albany County Jail were unsuccessful.
According to the district attorney’s office, Brodeur was driving on Feb. 2 at 6 p.m. on Route 9 in Albany in a reckless manner when his vehicle struck another in the opposite lane.
`He crossed over into the victim’s oncoming lane of traffic and caused a number of serious injuries [to her],` said Mary Tanner-Richter, felony/DWI prosecutor for Albany County.
Tanner-Richter said that Brodeur was found to have a blood-alcohol content higher than 0.18 at the time.
According to a statement released by the district attorney’s office, the victim had sustained multiple fractures along with other injuries, `causing substantial pain and requiring immediate medical treatment, surgery and on-going treatment, which continues even today.`
Tanner-Richter said the charge Brodeur was convicted of is more serious than a simple DWI charge and is based on two fundamental principles: First, that the driver is operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, second that their being under the influence has caused them not only to drive recklessly, but to injure another person while doing so.
But Brodeur twice failed to appear in court to answer those charges.
`He failed to appear in court [on May 30]. The defense attorney asked for an adjournment to June 2,` said Tanner-Richter. `He also failed to appear then.`
Tanner-Richter said that at that point, the judge had issued a warrant for Brodeur’s arrest. When local police could not find him, the U.S. Marshals got involved. Although the U.S. Marshals do not go after everyone who does not attend court hearings, Tanner-Richter said that since Brodeur’s case was that of a class C felony, they decided to get involved.
`They thought they might be able to use their resources,` said Tanner-Richter.
She said the Marshals did a fair amount of legwork to find Brodeur. After following tips from friends of Brodeur’s, the Marshals learned he fled to Florida.
But before the Marshals could apprehend Brodeur in the Sunshine State, he returned to Albany to turn himself in.
As part of a plea bargain, Brodeur pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular assault, and will face 3 to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on Sept. 5.
He is currently staying at Albany County jail pending his sentence.
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