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Police: Alleged Drunken Driver Hits Stepson Walking Dog On Long Island

CENTERPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Long Island man faces drunken driving charges after police say he crashed his luxury car into his 13-year-old stepson.

It happened around 5:50 p.m. Monday on Laurel Hill Road in Centerport.

Scott Lipton
Scott Lipton is accused of crashing his Jaguar into his 13-year-old stepson. (credit: Suffolk County Police)

Police said 42-year-old Scott Lipton was driving his 2017 Jaguar when he struck the teen, who was out walking the family dog near their home. The car then crashed into a pole.

The boy was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was being treated for a broken leg.

Lipton's next door neighbor, David Pincus, is a trauma surgeon and ran to help.

"We heard the accident, we saw the young man down on the ground, the car was in bad shape," he said. "I don't know the gentleman specifically, seems like a very nice family."

Lipton's 9-year-old stepson was with him in the car at the time of the crash. He was taken to Huntington Hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Lipton was not hurt.

The dog also escaped injury. 

Lipton was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child passenger 15 years or younger (Leandra's Law) and endangering the welfare of a child.

He works a vice president with Gyma Laboratories of America, and he bought his Laurel Hill Road home earlier this year for $830,000, 1010 WINS's Carol D'Auria reported.

Inside Suffolk County District Court, the family did not want to speak, but Lipton's attorney called him a respected businessman who runs the family's chemical company in Westbury.

"There was certainly a freakish accident.  The circumstances that occurred just prior to that are still unknown a bit," attorney John Carman said. 

In court, prosecutors said Lipton admitted to officers that he had three vodka drinks. He attorney said he cooperated fully with police.

"There is a blood test that taken of Mr. Lipton. He consented to it. Until we know the results, and we do expect those results to be favorable, it's not easy to see how this case is going to go forward," Carman said.

The judge issued an order for Lipton to stay away from his two stepsons as the case plays out. It's not clear if he will be allowed to remain in the home with the boys.

Lipton was released on $10,000 cash bail.

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