Blooming Grove Man Previously Convicted After Trial of Driving While Intoxicated and Related Traffic Offenses

Defendant Has Three Prior DWI Convictions

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Thursday, September 12, 2024, James Cassidy, age 51, of Blooming Grove, was sentenced in Orange County Court to an aggregate term of one and one half (1.5) to four and one half (4.5) years in prison relative to his conviction following a six-day bench trial of all charges against him including Driving While Intoxicated as a Class “D” Felony and Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle in the First Degree.

As alleged in documents filed and statements made in court, on July 12, 2023, at approximately 6:00 p.m., a Deputy Sheriff with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office was seeking to serve civil paperwork at the Clover Stables horse farm in the Town of New Windsor.  After being unable to locate the individual to serve the civil paperwork, the Deputy started to leave the property when she encountered Cassidy who was driving up the driveway.  After a brief conversation, Cassidy displayed the tell-tale signs of intoxication.  Cassidy admitted to the Deputy that he had been drinking and that he was coming from Montgomery and had been on the road leading to the farm.  Cassidy failed several field sobriety tests, and subsequently refused to submit to a breath test.  It was later learned that Cassidy had a revoked license and had previous convictions for Driving While Intoxicated.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation and the arrest of the defendant.

“The selfish decisions by drunk drivers imperil all of us who share our County’s roadways,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler. “This repeat offender has shown no ability to curb his criminal actions despite increasing penalties.  As such, the prison sentence imposed by the Court was appropriate and just.  I commend the dedicated work of the members of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office who patrol our streets to make sure that they are safe for us all.  My Office will continue to seek justice in intoxicated and impaired driving cases.”

District Attorney Hoovler highly commended Assistant District Attorney Emily Worden who prosecuted the case.

A criminal charge is merely an allegation by the police that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.