A 66-year-old driving instructor in Suffolk County was arrested after police accused him of making sexually explicit comments to minor students during lessons in Hauppauge. The allegations involve male students and have prompted an investigation into what happened inside the instructional vehicle.
Family Complaint Triggered Police Investigation
The investigation began after a family member complained about an instructor at Elite Driving of Long Island, according to News 12. Police identified the instructor as Joseph Klein and said the alleged comments were made between July 6 and July 22. Elite offers driving courses in Nassau and Suffolk counties and is affiliated with Ivy League School Driver Education in Smithtown, police said. Klein was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and issued an appearance ticket for a later court date.
New York Driving Instructors Must Meet Certification Rules
New York’s Department of Motor Vehicles says driving instructors must be employed by a DMV-licensed driving school and carry a valid instructor certificate while teaching. The New York DMV also lists screening, testing and training requirements for instructors, including a background standard related to convictions involving indecency or moral turpitude. Those rules provide the regulatory backdrop for the case but do not establish whether any separate licensing violation occurred.
Child-Endangerment Charge Is A Misdemeanor
New York’s endangering-the-welfare-of-a-child statute covers knowingly acting in a way likely to harm the physical, mental or moral welfare of a child younger than 17, and classifies the offense as a Class A misdemeanor, according to the New York State Senate. The charges against Klein are allegations, and an appearance ticket is not a finding of guilt. Court information, including the date of Klein’s appearance, was not listed in the initial report.
Police Seek More Potential Victims
Suffolk County police are asking anyone with information about the allegations—or anyone who believes they may have been a victim—to contact Fourth Precinct investigators at 631-854-8426. The department’s request suggests investigators are still working to determine whether other students may have had similar experiences, News 12 reported.
