Steuben County deputies make a shocking arrest
Harold Farrell of Addison joined a very special club last week in Bath. Farrell was apparently already convicted of a DWI offense because he was arrested in route to a court mandated Victim Impact Panel.
Yes, Farrell drove drunk to the panel meeting, which was being held at the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office. Evidently, Farrell attempted to attend the meeting and was clearly intoxicated. It is unclear whether the deputies made the DWI arrest after an investigation or as Farrell was leaving the Sheriff’s office.
The accusations are of a crime that was as brazen as it was disrespectful. A Victim’s Impact Panel is a forum which allows those who have lost a loved one to a drunk driver to speak with those recently arrested for the crime. The intention of the meeting is to show those accused of driving drunk the heartache created by a bad decision. Victim Impact Panel meetings are often emotional, and designed to stop those accused of DWI from repeating the crime.
Often those who host the impact panels require those in attendance to pass a alcohol screening before entering the meeting. Considering Steuben County Deputies have a well known reputation for making DWI arrests and have multiple experts on recognizing intoxicated drivers, the crime can safely be called stupid along with brazen and disprespectful. Read the report from the Steuben County Sheriff:
DWI Arrest at Victim Impact Panel
Steuben County Sheriff Jim Allard reports that on May 18, 2022, deputies of the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office arrested Harold L. Farrell, age 50, of CR 102, Addison, New York. It is alleged that Mr. Farrell operated a motor vehicle while in an intoxicated condition on Rumsey Street Extension, Bath, New York. It is further alleged that Mr. Farrell attempted to attend the DWI/DWAI Victim Impact Panel at the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office while in an intoxicated condition. Mr. Farrell was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Operating a Motor Vehicle with greater than .08% Blood Alcohol Content. Mr. Farrell was released on traffic summons to appear in Bath Town Court at a later date.