ROCKLAND POST DESK
RAMAPO — A 24-year-old taxi driver was charged with multiple offenses after police said he was found passed out in a shopping center parking lot with a 15-year-old passenger and tried to flee when approached by officers.
The incident occurred Friday, April 3, at a shopping center on the corner of Route 59 and Brookside Avenue, according to the Ramapo Police Department. An officer on patrol noticed two people asleep inside a taxi and approached to check on them. As the officer engaged the driver, he allegedly put the vehicle in drive and attempted to escape by driving over a curb toward the state highway. Officers quickly intervened, and additional units responded to safely take control of the situation.
The driver, identified as Anderson Benitez-Morales, 24, of Montebello, was charged with DWI. Because a 15-year-old was in the car at the time, authorities also charged him under Leandra’s Law, which applies when a child passenger is endangered by a drunk driver. Other charges include aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, as his license had been suspended six times, as well as obstructing governmental administration and endangering the welfare of a child.
This incident is just the latest in a series of public safety concerns in Rockland County. Residents have reported ongoing issues including drunk driving, traffic violations, and repeat offenders operating vehicles despite suspended licenses. Local authorities have also warned of rising incidents of reckless behavior in busy shopping areas, especially near major intersections like Route 59 and Brookside Avenue.
Community leaders say these events highlight the need for stricter enforcement and more public awareness campaigns, particularly to protect children and pedestrians in high-traffic zones.