KENT, NY — New York State Police arrested a Bronx man on June 21, 2026, after a welfare check on the Taconic State Parkway revealed he was allegedly driving while intoxicated with two young children in his vehicle.
Edgar Ismael Loja, 31, of the Bronx, was found at approximately 9:37 p.m. in a 2025 Toyota parked on the shoulder near mile marker 32.3 southbound on the Taconic State Parkway.
Troopers from the Stormville barracks conducted the welfare check and observed signs of intoxication, according to police.
Standardized Field Sobriety Tests were administered.
Police said two children, ages 5 months and 1 year, were in the vehicle at the time.
Loja was taken into custody and transported to State Police Stormville for processing.
He submitted to a chemical breath test, which resulted in a blood alcohol content of 0.14%, police said.
The children were safely released to a sober third party.
Loja was charged with two counts of aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child passenger, class E felonies under Leandra’s Law.
He was also charged with driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, an unclassified misdemeanor.
Loja was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Kent Court on August 6, 2026, at 9 a.m.
