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Jul 31, 2007 10:04 pm US/Eastern
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Cops: Man Caused Fatal Accident By 'Robotripping'
Westchester Resident Allegedly Drove Under The Influence Of Cough Syrup
by Tony Aiello
YONKERS, N.Y. (CBS) ―
A 20-year-old man pleaded not guilty to criminally negligent homicide on Tuesday, a crime allegedly committed while he was high on cough syrup.
Mohd Shreiqein of Pleasantville faces up to four years in prison if convicted in the death of 87-year-old Anthony Vieiro. The World War II veteran died March 23 after an accident on Sprain Road in Yonkers.
"My father served four years in the military with pride and dignity," said Linda Minozzi, Vieiro's daughter. "The max this kid faces is four years."
Police believe Shreiqein consumed a large amount of cough syrup to get high on an ingredient called dextromethorphan, or DXM.
It's a form of substance abuse young people call "skittling" or "robotripping."
"Look up robotripping and see what it does," Minozzi said. "See what it does to the body. It's worse than having alcohol. It gives you an out-of-body experience."
One recent study found 10 percent of teenagers had tried to get high by drinking cough syrup.
Because of the potential for abuse, Suffolk County has banned people younger than 19 from buying medications containing DXM.
Minozzi hopes Westchester will enact a similar ban, to honor her father.
"Maybe there's a message and a reason for his death," Minozzi said.
A top Westchester County legislator said he'll consider enacting a measure similar to the one adopted in Suffolk.
"It sounds to me as though something needs to be done, and done quickly," said Bill Ryan, Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators. "You don't want this kind of thing accessible to kids."
Ryan said restricting sales is only part of the answer. Parents need to keep tabs on what's already in the medicine cabinet.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)