GUILTY PLEA AND SENTENCE IN DRUNK DRIVING CASE

DELHI – Autumn Transue, 30, of Oneonta, New York, appeared in Delaware County Court on January 31, 2024, before the Honorable Judge John L. Hubbard, and pleaded guilty to one count of Driving While Intoxicated – Prior Conviction in Ten Years, a Class E Felony in violation of section 1192 (3) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York. 

On March 8, 2023, Officer Ernest Cawley of the Colchester Police Department observed a gray Chevrolet crossing the double yellow lines on County Highway 7 multiple times. After initiating a traffic stop, Officer Cawley identified the driver as Autumn Transue and observed signs of intoxication. Ms. Transue admitted to having consumed “99 Banana Liquor” and being intoxicated. Officer Keith Gavette of the Colchester Police Department would later perform a breathalyzer test on Ms. Transue revealing her blood alcohol content (BAC) to be .12%. The legal limit in the State of New York is .08 percent.

It was later determined by the District Attorney’s Office that Ms. Transue had an out of state conviction for Driving While Intoxicated.  After securing her Nevada records, the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office presented Ms. Transue’s case to the Delaware County Grand Jury. On July 13, 2023, a two-count indictment was returned accusing the Defendant of Driving While Intoxicated – Prior Conviction in Ten Years, a Class E Felony in violation of section 1192(3) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York and Driving While Intoxicated, a Class E Felony in violation of Sections 1192 (2) /1193 (1) (c) (i) of the Vehicle and Traffic Law of the State of New York.

On January 31, 2024, Ms. Transue appeared in Delaware County Court and pled guilty to Driving While Intoxicated – Prior Conviction in Ten Years, a Class E Felony.  Delaware County Court Judge John L. Hubbard sentenced Ms. Transue to five years of felony probation supervision and to the Adult Treatment Court program. He further revoked Ms. Transue’s license for one year and ordered the installation of an Ignition Interlock Device for one year. 

Judge Hubbard further ordered that if Ms. Transue fails the Adult Treatment Court program, she will be sentenced to one and one third to four years in state prison.

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn Smith thanked Officers Keith Gavette and Ernest Cawley of the Colchester Police Department for their work in getting Ms. Transue off the road. 

“I want to thank the Officers in this case for their fine work in getting Ms. Transue off the road that night. Sadly, like many others in our community, Ms. Transue suffers from a severe alcohol problem.  It is my belief that with the intervention of Officers Gavette and Cawley, she is on the right path towards achieving long term sobriety.”

Mr. Smith continued, “I also want to thank the Las Vegas Court system for retrieving Ms. Transue’s Nevada records for us. Drunk driving is not limited to Delaware County, and this case is proof that drunk driving prosecution is not geographically limited. If you drive drunk, you will be pulled over, and rest assured my office will diligently scour records to see if you’ve done it before.” 

First Assistant District Attorney Schuyler Konior Kinneman prosecuted the case.

Shawn J. Smith

District Attorney

Delaware County