A father who strapped four young children to the hood of his car and drunkenly drove away from a liquor store has been sentenced to home detention for his reckless actions.
Aaron Stefanski, 29, told police he tied the kids down because he 'thought they would like it,' after his arrest on May 7 for the shocking incident.
But a subdued and seemingly repentant Stefanski told a judge in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Friday he regretted his actions, adding, 'I let alcohol make the decision for me.'
Aaron Stefanski
In May, police stopped Stefanski and his girlfriend, Jessica Clark, 30, after a liquor store clerk spotted the children strapped to the hood of Stefanski's white sedan.
Stefanski had tied his sons, age 4 and 5, and his daughter, age 6, along with Clark's 7-year-old daughter, to the outside of the car.
According to police, Stefanski's blood alcohol level at the time was 0.17 percent -- more than twice the legal limit.
The four children were strapped to the roof of this car which was stopped by police on its way from a liquor store in Fort Wayne, Indiana The four children were strapped to the roof of this car which was stopped by police on its way from a liquor store in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Luckily none of the children were hurt
Stefanski, who pleaded guilty to four class D felonies in July, was sentenced to four years in prison Friday.
Aaron S. Stefanski At the time of his arrest, Stefanski had a blood alcohol level of 0.17 percent -- more than twice the legal limit
But the judge overseeing his case suspended 2 1/2 years of his sentence and ordered his remaining time to be served on probation.
His lawyer, David Zent, said the troubled dad is addressing his alcohol problem and taking parenting classes, which he will continue while on home detention
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TXT 24
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