Varun Datt, age 37, of Syosset, pleaded guilty on Thursday, April 14, and faces a maximum of three to nine years in prison, said Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly.
“With empty alcohol bottles scattered about his vehicle –and another full bottle in his sweatshirt –this defendant jumped a curb in broad daylight while highly intoxicated, terrorizing a residential area and striking a man and 3-year-old child,” Donnelly said.
According to the indictment and investigation, on Monday, May 31, 2021, around 4:30 p.m. Datt, driving while intoxicated, veered onto the wrong side of a residential street in Syosset where a man was standing with his 3-year-old niece. His vehicle jumped the curb onto the sidewalk and struck both victims. The car finally came to rest after hitting a parked car head-on.
When police arrived on the scene, Datt was still in the vehicle’s driver’s seat. Two empty bottles of rum and vodka were found in the car, the DA's Office said.
Datt's sweatshirt also contained one full bottle of whiskey and two empty bottles, the indictment said.
The male victim was taken to Nassau University Medical Center where he was treated for extensive injuries, including a tear in his knee that required wheelchair use for six weeks.
The girl was taken to Cohen Children’s Medical Center where she was treated for abrasions and trauma.
Datt was arrested in Syosset by Nassau County Police Department and charged with:
- Aggravated vehicular assault
- Aggravated DWI
- Assault
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