By JIMMY LAWTON

MADRID -- The St. Lawrence County District Attorney’s Office says it was not responsible for a plea deal a former Madrid justice received in the wake of an aggravated driving while intoxicated charge.

A representative from the District Attorney’s Office said the case was handled by special prosecutor John Collins due to a perceived conflict of interest with the DA’s office, as determined by the judge.

St. Lawrence County District Attorney Mary Rain has sworn not to offer plea deals to persons charged with aggravated drunk driving. She is calling that standard “Rob’s Policy.” However, Rain’s office has no control over special prosecutors, the representative said.

According to WWNY, Judge Jerome Richards sentenced former Madrid Justice Anya Tendler, 43, to one-year interim probation after she was allegedly charged with driving while intoxicated following a hit-and-run accident with her 5-year-old triplets in the vehicle.

Tendler was originally charged with three counts of aggravated DWI with a child passenger under 16 years of age, unlawfully fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a property-damage accident, moving from lane unsafely, unregistered motor vehicle and consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle.

Tendler also allegedly refused testing to determine her blood alcohol content.