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Police: Woman Accused Of DWI After Driving With Kids On L.I., Hitting Pole

HUNTINGTON STATION, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Police on Long Island arrested a woman on DWI charges Saturday, after she allegedly crashed into a telephone pole with three children in her car and took them along as she ran off.

Sarah Knakal, 30, of Huntington Station, was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child 15 years or younger, leaving the scene of an incident, and endangering the welfare of a child, Suffolk County police said.

Knakal was headed west on the East Jericho Turnpike at Copiague Avenue in Huntington Station around 6 p.m. Saturday with her children – ages 5, 7 and 9 – in the car, police said. She struck a telephone pole and then a sign, before bailing out of the car and running off with the children in tow, police said.

Police caught up to Knakal at Jericho Turnpike and Cooper Avenue about 10 minutes later, police said. She was arrested, while the children were turned over to a family member.

No one was injured, police said.

Knakal was set to be arraigned at Suffolk County First District Court in Central Islip on Sunday.

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