DA: Garden City Woman Indicted for Driving Drunk with Young Daughter

A grand jury indicted a Garden City woman Wednesday for driving drunk with her young daughter in the car and slamming into another vehicle, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s office.

Laura Catell, 43, was arraigned on charges of aggravated DWI, two counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, endangering the welfare of a child, third-degree assault, second-degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and a Leandra’s Law violation, the DA said.

If convicted, Catell could face up to four years in prison, officials said.

“This defendant recklessly operated a car while she was intoxicated, endangering her life, her daughter’s life and everyone else on the road that day,” Acting DA Madeline Singas said. “She drove into oncoming traffic in the middle of the day and crashed into an innocent driver with her 11-year old twin grandchildren in the car. The other driver was injured but thankfully fate spared all of the children. It is just luck this wasn’t much worse.”

At 1:30 p.m. on April 25, Catell was driving east on 6th Street near Cathedral Avenue in Garden City when she collided into another car, the DA said.

Responding officers discovered Catell was intoxicated and took her into custody, officials said.

Catell’s 7-year-old daughter was in the car at the time, authorities said. No one was reportedly injured in the accident.

Catell is due back in court on Sept. 16.

Image via NCPD