Kings Park Man Who Abandoned Son in Car Sentenced

A Kings Park man who was sentenced to 3 years probation on Tuesday, according to a report on Newsday.

According to the report, Paul Lucente, 30, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child in First District Court in Central Islip. Lucente spent 45 days in jail following his April 23 arrest and was credited with time served.

Lucente was a passenger in a car driven by Benjamin Laudonio, 26, of Stony Brook, when he crossed over the center divider line on Route 25 in Smithtown on April 23. When Laudonio was pulled over by Suffolk County Police,  Lucente fled the scene, leaving his child behind the back seat of the car. An investigation revealed that Laudonio was under the influence of drugs, police said. 

According to police, heroin was found in the car.

Lucente later turned himself in, contacting police from his home and was arrested.

The judge was quoted in the story as calling the crime “disturbing”. Lucente’s lawyer, Thomas Zawyrucha, said in the article that his client had cleaned up his act since the incident.

"He's not the same person he was," Zawyrucha said.

To read the full story on Newsday, click here. (Subscription required)