PRESS RELEASE
FROM: HOLLEY CARNRIGHT, DISTRICT ATTORNEY
DATE: NOVEMBER 8, 2018
The Appellate Division, Third Department has unanimously affirmed the March, 2017 conviction of Charles Bridge upon his plea of guilty of the crime of driving while intoxicated.
Defendant’s conviction stems from a vehicle and traffic stop on March 11, 2016 in the City of Kingston at which time State Police discovered that defendant was operating his vehicle in an intoxicated condition.
Defendant eventually pled guilty in Ulster County Court to driving while intoxicated at which time he executed a waiver of appeal. He was later sentenced by County Court Judge Donald A. Williams, in accord with the terms of a negotiated plea agreement, to one to three years in State prison.
On appeal, defendant challenged the validity of his appeal waiver and argued that the Court should have granted newly substituted counsel an adjournment to give him more time to prepare for the sentence proceedings. The Appellate Division, Third Department, however, rejected both of these claims.
On appeal, defendant is represented by Aaron A. Louridas, Esq. of Delmark, New York. Assistant District Attorney Joan Gudesblatt Lamb, Esq. handled the appeal for the District Attorney’s Office.