This week, Jason Kidd, the former New York Knicks point guard and current Brooklyn Nets head coach, reached a plea agreement with NYC prosecutors in a drunk driving (DWI) case.
In open court, Mr. Kidd stipulated that he was intoxicated during the early morning hours of July 15, 2012, when he crashed his car into a telephone pole. After a night of heavy partying, Mr. Kidd lost control of his vehicle while driving down a quiet Water Mill street. The crash destroyed Mr. Kidd’s SUV and a city light pole. The damage to the light pole knocked out power to several homes in the area.
In court, Mr. Kidd was chastised by the judge, who told Mr. Kidd that the crash could have been deadly.
As part of the plea agreement, Mr. Kidd agreed to give two (2) lectures about the dangers of drunk driving to a pair of Suffolk County high schools. It is expected that the lectures will be filmed and used as Public Service Announcements. Mr. Kidd also agreed to pay $8,100.00 in restitution for the damaged light pole.
In this case, Mr. Kidd faced DWI charges in New York. However, if Mr. Kidd had been charged with a first offense DWI in New Jersey, he could have been looking at up to 30 days in jail and loss of his driver’s license. New Jersey DWI penalties are set forth in N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.
For more information, see the NYPost.com article entitled “Nets Coach Kidd Ripped by Judge After Pleading Guilty to Drunk Driving Charge.”
