A New York mother has entered a not guilty plea for depraved indifference murder following a car crash that led to her 57th license suspension.
Kerri Bedrick, 32, is facing numerous charges from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of August 22.
Bedrick, with her son in the backseat, was noticed by a Suffolk County deputy sheriff driving westbound in the eastbound lane.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office released a statement noting that Bedrick’s vehicle was moving ‘at a high rate of speed’.
The deputy pursued Bedrick’s car and attempted to stop her. However, she allegedly sped up and maneuvered around the police vehicle when efforts were made to pull her over.
Reportedly reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour, Bedrick forced oncoming traffic to dodge her as the officer trailed her for more than five miles.
East of Exit 42N, Bedrick allegedly collided with multiple vehicles before a head-on crash with a Mercedes, ending the chase.
The statement described the crash as causing ‘catastrophic damage’ to both vehicles, with Bedrick’s engine thrown into nearby woods by the impact.
Responders discovered Bedrick’s son unconscious in the backseat. Despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at South Shore Hospital.
Two other drivers involved sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
A search of Bedrick’s car found multiple pills in a prescription bottle, and hospital tests revealed she was under the influence of methamphetamines.
Her driving history showed 56 previous suspensions on eight different occasions, according to the DA’s office.
Bedrick was indicted on charges including depraved indifference murder, manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide, and aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child.
Scott Zerner, Bedrick’s lawyer, called the crash an ‘accident’ in a statement to The Post.
“No one on this planet is more upset about it than she is,” he said.
Zerner also mentioned that Bedrick ‘suffers from ailments’ and was prescribed methamphetamine by a doctor.
“She was not under the influence of any alcohol or any non-prescription drug that she was not prescribed,” he added.
Currently pleading not guilty, Bedrick is being held without bail with her license suspended once again. She is set to appear in court on October 22 and faces 25 years to life in prison if found guilty of the charges.