POUGHKEEPSIE – Common Council Chairperson Sarah Salem has been given a new trial date for her February 26, 2020 DWI. Salem was allegedly driving drunk when she ran a red light and struck another vehicle. The new date was set during a court appearance on Wednesday, March 30 in city court.
Dutchess County Senior Assistant District Attorney Ryan LeGrady will handle the prosecution for the jury trial now scheduled to begin on June 13, 2022, at 10:30 a.m. LeGrady has taken over the case from the original prosecutor, Erin Ginty, who is leaving the DA’s office this week.
Salem’s trial was originally scheduled for March 7, 2022, before City of Poughkeepsie Judge Frank Mora, who had presided over all of the prior appearances of the case. Just before the trial was to begin, Mora was barred from appearing in court by state officials because he has refused to get the COVID vaccine. City of Poughkeepsie Judge Scott Volkman is expected to preside over the remainder of the proceedings.
Salem, who has a previous DWI arrest, was arraigned in July of 2020 due to delays created by the pandemic. Judge Mora presided over a preliminary hearing in October of 2020 and ruled that sufficient evidence was presented to warrant the case to proceed.
