Sophia Anderson in court today (Gordon M. Grant)
The former Brooklyn hipster who – in the name of love – took the rap for her boyfriend for his devastating DWI drive through a Long Island home was today given conditional dismissal of the remaining charges against her.
Outside a Riverhead courtroom, Sophia Anderson, 21, said she has straightened up and was flying right after initially lying to cops and telling them she had been at the wheel of boyfriend Dan Sajewski’s mom’s Mercedes last May in Huntington – when he trashed an elderly woman’s home.
She has previously said she was very drunk and Sajewski, 23, talked her into taking the rap for him – because he was on probation and had a criminal record. She said he promised her a vacation in the Hamptons and that he would pay for her lawyer.
But – despite pleading guilty on Tuesday at his sentencing before the same judge – Sajewski’s lawyer claimed his client was only pleading guilty to spare the woman he loved. That lawyer made no such argument in court and his client got 18 months in jail.
“He’s clearly a liar – it’s been proven. There was evidence against him,’’ said Anderson outside court, referring to Dan Sajewski’s DNA, which was recovered from the driver’s side airbag after the crash last May.
The experience, “was awful but I’ve learned a large lesson – a few of them,’’ she said. “No one should believe Dan. Clearly he has not been truthful,’’ said Anderson. “It’s just been a lesson learned.’’
In court, her lawyer John LoTurco told Suffolk Judge Martin Efman that his client is getting treatment for alcoholism and “Sophia has remained sober since the date of the accident.’’
LoTurco said Anderson was attending Middlesex Community College in Connecticut, had a job and had moved out of Williamsburg and was living with her parents. After court, he added that his client was also receiving therapy for domestic violence.
If she keeps her nose clean for six months, all charges will be dropped by July 17, LoTurco said.