Cortlandt woman charged with DWI with two children in vehicle

On Sept. 5, at 6:12 p.m., New York State Police in Cortlandt conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling southbound on Albany Post Road in the town of Cortlandt for violations of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law.

The driver, identified as Nisha Biagi Gougelmann, 50, of Cortlandt Manor, exhibited signs of intoxication. Troopers administered standardized field sobriety tests. Further investigation determined that two 13-year-old children were passengers in the vehicle.

Gougelmann was taken into custody and transported to SP Cortlandt for processing, where she submitted to a chemical breath test that showed a blood alcohol content of 0.12 percent. The children were safely released to a sober third party.

As a result of the investigation, Gougelmann was charged with:

• Two counts aggravated driving while intoxicated with a child passenger under Leandra’s Law, a Class E felony

• Driving while intoxicated, an unclassified misdemeanor

• Operating a motor vehicle with 0.08 percent or more alcohol in the blood, first offense, an unclassified misdemeanor

Gougelmann was arraigned in Cortlandt Town Court and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to return to court Sept. 9, 2026, at 4 p.m.

Article courtesy of New York State Police