HEADQUARTERS ISLIP, NY – Kerri Bedrick, the woman accused of driving under the influence in a wrong-way driving accident on the Southern State Parkway in which her 9-year-old son was killedpleaded not guilty in court on Friday.
Bedrick, 32, of Centerport, entered the courtroom in a wheelchair. She faces several charges, including driving under the influence, endangering the welfare of a child and more. Prosecutors say they will file manslaughter charges.
Bedrick’s son, Eli Henrys, died in Thursday’s crash, which involved four cars.
Prosecutor: Bedrick’s driving license was revoked 56 times
Her driver’s license had expired at the time of the crash, prosecutors said. She had 56 previous license suspensions, including a drunken driving conviction in 2012 when she attempted to flee, prosecutors said.
According to prosecutors, Bedrick was in possession of various pills, including methamphetamine, when she was arrested.
Bedrick suffers from numerous health problems, including spina bifida, narcolepsy and epilepsy, and takes prescription medications, her defense attorney said in court. She was also a victim of domestic violence, he said.
She had suffered the worst loss a parent could suffer, he said, and asked for bail so she could attend her son’s funeral.
The judge set bail at $1 million cash and $2 million surety, citing her numerous suspensions and violations of the law.
The judge described the case as one of the most tragic that has come before him in 39 years.
Outside the court, Bedrick’s mother cried. She said her grandson was a sweet boy.
“She loved him so much,” said Diane Bedrick.
“Her lawyer said she had a lot of health problems. Did that play a role?” asked Carolyn Gusoff of CBS New York.
“I think so,” said Diane Bedrick.
In years of Facebook posts, Kerri Bedrick lovingly described Eli and said she had lost two brothers to heroin overdoses.
She has to appear in court again next Tuesday.
Police tried to stop Bedrick before the collision, they say
Before the fatal accident on the Southern State Parkway, police said she was driving the wrong way on the Sunrise Highway, whereupon a Suffolk County Sheriff’s patrol car tried to stop her. However, she did not stop and instead accelerated even more, they said.
By the time the officer caught up with her, the accident had already happened. She was found standing outside her car. Officers performed CPR on Henry, who was in the back seat and wearing a seat belt, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
According to court documents, when officers asked her where she was from and where she was going, she replied, “I really don’t know.” They said they noticed signs of impairment, including watery eyes, slurred speech and impaired motor skills.
According to court documents, she told police about the methamphetamine tablets in the car: “These are my prescriptions.”
“He was a good boy”
“What happened here is a tragedy. I am so sad for the family,” said Bedrick’s neighbor Christina Kulic.
Kulic said she was sickened by the death of Henrys, who often played with her son. They were both in fourth grade. She said she wished she had asked if she could watch Henrys for the night and saw Bedrick drive away with him in the back seat.
“He was a good kid. He was very polite, very nice. Couldn’t wait to come over. Funny, great sense of humor, just a good kid,” Kulic said.
Bedrick gave the impression of being a very caring mother, Kulic said.
“I’m shocked. This is not the kind of person I would have thought would make a decision like this. This is disgusting,” she said. “This seems totally out of character for her.”
Carolyn Gusoff
