Alleged Drunk Driver Says Boyfriend Punched Her

Jesenia Vega, the 27-year-old woman charged with DWI after fatally running over her boyfriend, told police that boyfriend Louis Wiederer had pushed and punched her and that she got into the car to get away from him. But Suffolk County prosecutors asked that charges be upgraded, noting that Wiederer, who clung to Vega's car door to stop her from driving drunk, was dragged under the vehicle and killed.

The Suffolk County police are investigating Vega's claim, but Detective Lieutenant Gregory McVeigh told Newsday that she didn't seem to have any injuries, "I would say that that's something we're open to at this point in terms of our investigation, but we still have more work to do." In yesterday's coverage, Newsday had spoken to another block party reveler who said, "It looked like he was hitting her, but he was trying to stop her... She was totally irrational."
Vega's lawyer Guy Allen had hoped for a $5,000 bail, denying that his client was driving drunk and pointing out blood alcohol results weren't ready yet. However, a judge noted that Vega admitted to police she had been drinking. Bail for Vega was set at $100,000 cash or $200,000 bond.

Newsday has PDFs of the criminal complaint and witness statements - the statements are chilling.

Composite of photographs from Newsday.com

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 24, 2007 9:12 AM

Comments [rss]

Reality Czech

Wow, she can say whatever she wants now that he's dead. Lowlife. The driving age should be 21, the drinking age 16. Take her out back and shoot her.

guest

She was an irrational drunk who didn't want her boyfriend taking her keys. She's probably thrown hundreds of hissy fits just like this and never thought about the consequences. Burn the bitch.

guest

Number Two says, "I have nothing but contempt for guys who hit women"

And what about women who hit guys? What, all women are perfect and innocent and so weak that if a guy hits a woman it's abhorrent but if a woman hits a guy it's allowed to pass?

At any rate the bitch is lying.

ed_Extinct

you can be charged with drunk driving based on scent alone.

as you can be charged with murder if you have no alibi and have involvent with the victim.

as for the prior charges against her, it will only come up in court if she takes the stand, if not, the jury will never know.

jammer

$10 and a pack of cigarettes says this bitch is LYING! again, FRY HER!

guest

The guy didn't deserve to die, but...

What kind of idiot hangs onto a car trying to stop his girlfriend from driving away? Did he watch too many Popeye cartoons, and think eating his spinach would give him superhuman strength?

And why would a woman act irrational and drive away if not trying to avoid something involving the boyfriend? Did they have some argument before? They said it "looked" like he was hitting her. If it looked like he was hitting her, maybe he was?

I'm not trying to excuse drunk drivers, but she was charged with a misdemenor drunk driving charge before the toxicology reports are in.

And since this is a Long Island story, why not mention the girl who ran over two firefighters while driving drunk last week? It also happened on Long Island, and I think hero firefighters are more deserving of public sympathy than a bunch of drunks who previously pleaded guilty to charges before:

Don't forget to quote this, Jen: "Records show, however, that she pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment and disorderly conduct in 1997. Wiederer also pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in 1998."

cwbuecheler

I have nothing but contempt for guys who hit women, but I don't think "he was hitting me" is a particularly strong legal defense for "so I got into my car while drunk and then drove around with him hanging off the window until he lost his grip and fell under the car, at which point I dragged him for a few blocks."

Either she was incoherently drunk, in which case her "not guilty" plea for DWI is ridiculous, or she wasn't drunk, in which case she probably should be charged for vehicular manslaughter, or something equally serious.

guest

That's the best story she could come up with after sobering up? Jesus. Give her a few six packs of Corona and let her drink herself to death, that's all the consideration she deserves.