Woman pleads not guilty to DWI in incident where passenger jumped from car

A Long Beach woman pleaded not guilty following a DWI arrest Sunday morning after an incident in which her passenger jumped from the car out of fear.

Nassau police tell News 12 that 49-year-old Madeline Banegas, of Long Beach, was driving her 2017 gray Nissan Rogue with a 24-year-old passenger. They say Banegas hit eight parked cars on Cherrywood Drive and Millburn Avenue.

Police say that the passenger - in fear for her safety - jumped out of the car and contacted police. The passenger was not injured.

MORE: Police: Woman charged with DWI after fearful passenger jumped from car 

Officers located Banegas in front of 1034 Northern Blvd. She was arrested without incident and charged with DWI, reckless endangerment and multiple accounts of leaving the scene of an accident with property damage.

In court, officials said that her blood alcohol content was 0.16. They also said she had a prior 2011 charge for a DWI. As a result, her bail was set at $5,000. Her license was also suspended.

The lawyer representing Banegas says that she has lived in Nassau County all of her life and that she lives with her mother and sister. The lawyer said the suspect takes care of her quadriplegic mother and had wanted no bail to be set.