A Rochester City Court Judge has been arrested after New York State troopers spotted her car, heavily damaged and with flat tires, pulled off to the side of 490 West near Mt. Read Boulevard.

Judge Leticia Astacio was behind the wheel of the vehicle when troopers stopped to investigate around 8:00 a.m. on February 13.

Astacio had glassy, bloodshot eyes, according to the police report, and smelled of alcohol.

When asked where she was going, Astacio told them she was headed to City Court for arraignments at 9:30.

At this point, police asked her whether she had been drinking, and she asserted that she didn’t have to talk to them.

When asked to perform field sobriety tests, Astacio claimed that a previous brain injury made that impossible for her.

She refused to consent to a breathalyzer test, though pre-screening indicated that her blood alcohol content was .19%, or more than twice the legal limit.

Astacio pleaded not guilty to the DWI charge in March, and through her attorney, claims that there were numerous irregularities during the stop and her subsequent arrest.

To ensure fairness in the process, an out-of-town prosecutor and judge have been brought in for her case, which is set to resume in April.

In the meantime, Astacio’s cases have been reassigned, and she may face disciplinary action from New York’s Judicial Conduct Commission.

In any DWI case, there are a variety of factors that can play into how, or whether, a prosecution ultimately takes place.

Your best chance at avoiding conviction comes when you work with experienced DWI defense attorneys.

In Rochester, the team at Friedman & Ranzenhofer has decades of experience protecting your rights, and limiting your exposure to the worst consequences of conviction.

Call us today at 585-484-7432 for a legal consultation with an experienced Rochester DWI defense lawyer.