The connections of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands and Preakness Stakes (both gr. I) winner Big Brown announced a “special presentation” May 23 to the family of the Nassau County, N.Y. police officer critically injured when a drunken driver crashed into his patrol car.
According to a Nassau County Police Department release, the owners of Big Brown were “deeply concerned after hearing the events surrounding the tragic circumstances of officer Kenneth Baribault and want to assist his family during this difficult time.”
Baribault, 30, was injured when a silver Mercedes plowed into his police cruiser at 5:50 a.m. May 18 on the east side of the Long Island Expressway. At the time of the crash, Baribault was sitting in his car, having just administered a field sobriety test to another suspected drunken driver.
Big Brown owners Michael Iavarone and Richard Sciavo, along with jockey Kent Desormeaux made the presentation to Baribault's family at Belmont at noon. Nassau County executive Thomas Suozzi and police commissioner Lawrence Mulvey will join Baribault’s family during the presentation.
The press conference will be held in the paddock area of Belmont Park.
