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Rockland County, NY

Teens Targeted Victims Through Dating App In Violent HV Robbery Scheme: Police Teens Targeted Victims Through Dating App In Violent HV Robbery Scheme: Police
Teens Targeted Victims Through Dating App In Violent HV Robbery Scheme: Police Two 19-year-old men face a long list of charges — many as hate crimes — after allegedly luring victims through a dating app and attacking them in a Rockland County park, police said. The arrests followed a detailed investigation by the Ramapo Police Department, which uncovered a disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation, and armed robberies, the department announced on Friday, June 20.  According to police, the two suspects, one from Flushing, Queens, and one from Monsey, used a dating app to lure victims to a children’s park in the Village of Wesley Hills during the late night and e…
Longtime Family Home Destroyed By Fire In HV: 'Held Decades Of Memories' Longtime Family Home Destroyed By Fire In HV: 'Held Decades Of Memories'
Longtime Family Home Destroyed By Fire In HV: 'Held Decades Of Memories' A Rockland County family is picking up the pieces after a devastating fire destroyed their longtime homestead, sparking an outpouring of community support.  The blaze broke out early Saturday morning, June 21, at 350 Fulle Dr. in Valley Cottage, according to the Valley Cottage Fire Department and Clarkstown Police.   Firefighters from multiple departments rushed to the scene and battled flames that tore through the home. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Emergency medical services and Clarkstown Police also responded. The home belonged to the LaGuardia family, and for …
ID Released For Wrong-Way Driver Killed In I-87 Crash With 2 Tractor-Trailers, Police Say ID Released For Wrong-Way Driver Killed In I-87 Crash With 2 Tractor-Trailers, Police Say
ID Released For Wrong-Way Driver Killed In I-87 Crash With 2 Tractor-Trailers, Police Say New details have been released in the fatal wrong-way crash that shut down a stretch of Interstate 87 in Rockland County early Saturday, June 21. Brian P. Tortora, 33, of New York, was driving a 2024 Subaru WRX northbound in the southbound lanes when he struck two tractor-trailers in Clarkstown just after 3 a.m. near mile marker 18.9, just west of Exit 12, according to New York State Police. Tortora’s Subaru first collided with a 2017 Volvo truck towing a trailer, driven by a 52-year-old man, police said. Seconds later, the Subaru was struck by a 2016 Freightliner, also towing a trail…
Woman, 24, Killed After Losing Control, Hitting Tree On I-87 In Hudson Valley Woman, 24, Killed After Losing Control, Hitting Tree On I-87 In Hudson Valley
Woman, 24, Killed After Losing Control, Hitting Tree On I-87 In Hudson Valley A 24-year-old Hudson Valley woman was killed after crashing on the New York State Thruway in Rockland County, authorities said. The fatal crash happened in Ramapo around 3:25 p.m. on Sunday, June 15, on the southbound side of Interstate 87 near Exit 14A, in the town of Ramapo, New York State Police announced.  Troopers said the driver, identified as Orange County resident Anysah P. Nelson of Middletown, was driving a 2016 Honda Civic when, for unknown reasons, she lost control of the vehicle. The car veered off the right shoulder of the highway and struck a tree.  Nelson received…
Ex-Chief Of FD In HV Dies After 9/11-Related Cancer Fight: 'Lived, Breathed Fire Service' Ex-Chief Of FD In HV Dies After 9/11-Related Cancer Fight: 'Lived, Breathed Fire Service'
Ex-Chief Of FD In HV Dies After 9/11-Related Cancer Fight: 'Lived, Breathed Fire Service' A Hudson Valley fire department is mourning the loss of one of its own who died after a long and courageous battle with 9/11-related cancer.  Former Tappan Fire Department Chief Fredrick Simms Jr. died on Thursday morning, June 12 at home surrounded by his family, the department said in a statement.  Simms, known as “Freddie” to friends and fellow firefighters, was a lifelong firefighter. He joined the Tappan Fire Department in March 1998 and rose through the ranks, serving as Chief of Department from 2014 to 2016.  His passion for service extended beyond Rockland …
Sex Trafficking Ring Busted: Children Saved, 2 Arrested In HV, Police Say Sex Trafficking Ring Busted: Children Saved, 2 Arrested In HV, Police Say
Sex Trafficking Ring Busted: Children Saved, 2 Arrested In HV, Police Say Two adults have been arrested and multiple children rescued following a major undercover operation targeting sex trafficking at a Rockland County residence, police said.  The operation was carried out by the Clarkstown Police Department at a home located at 16 Smith Rd. in Nanuet, the department announced on Wednesday, June 11.  Police said the investigation began after concerned community members reported suspected illegal activity at the address. Officers infiltrated online platforms commonly used to promote prostitution and trafficking and launched surveillance of the location.…
Alert Issued For Man, 64, Missing For Nearly Month From Hudson Valley Alert Issued For Man, 64, Missing For Nearly Month From Hudson Valley
Alert Issued For Man, 64, Missing For Nearly Month From Hudson Valley Police in Rockland County are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 64-year-old man who was last seen nearly a month ago.  Michael Levoci, 64, was reported missing after he was last seen in the area of Gilmore Drive in Stony Point around midnight on Wednesday, May 7, the Stony Point Police Department said in an announcement on Tuesday, June 3.   Levoci is described as a white male, around 5 foot 10, weighing 230 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. A photo released by police shows him wearing a light blue polo shirt. Authorities say Levoci does not have access…
Cleaner Stole $13K Ring From Westchester Home, Police Say Cleaner Stole $13K Ring From Westchester Home, Police Say
Cleaner Stole $13K Ring From Westchester Home, Police Say A house cleaner from Rockland County is facing a felony charge after allegedly stealing a $13,000 ring from a home in Westchester, police said. Rosa Celmira Tene Guallias, 26, of Spring Valley, was arrested on Friday, May 31 and charged with third-degree grand larceny in connection with the alleged theft, which happened in Yorktown, the Yorktown Police Department announced on Monday, June 2.  Officers were dispatched at 1:15 p.m. to a Yorktown residence after a report of a missing ring. During their investigation, police identified Tene Guallias—who had been working in the home as a cl…
HV Crash Victim Was Loving Father, Loyal Friend: Support Pours In For Family Left Behind HV Crash Victim Was Loving Father, Loyal Friend: Support Pours In For Family Left Behind
HV Crash Victim Was Loving Father, Loyal Friend: Support Pours In For Family Left Behind Friends, family, and coworkers are rallying behind the loved ones of a devoted Rockland County father and husband who was killed in a tragic motorcycle crash earlier this week. Domingo Hasbun died in a motorcycle accident on Tuesday, May 27, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser launched to support his grieving family. The circumstances of the crash have not yet been publicly released, but the impact of Hasbun’s sudden death has reverberated across the community and within the company where he worked, Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits.  "Domingo was not only known for his love of…
Former NYPD Officer Sentenced After 100 MPH Drunk Driving HV Crash That Killed Husband Former NYPD Officer Sentenced After 100 MPH Drunk Driving HV Crash That Killed Husband
Former Nypd Officer Sentenced After 100 MPH Drunk Driving HV Crash That Killed Husband A former NYPD officer from the Hudson Valley has been sentenced after pleading guilty to causing the crash that killed her husband while she was driving drunk at over 100 miles per hour in Rockland County. Bernadine Thomas, 36, of Maybrook in Orange County, was sentenced to five years of probation for criminally negligent homicide after causing the February 2023 crash that claimed the life of her husband, Chevy Thomas, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced on Thursday, May 29.  The sentencing follows Thomas’s February 3 guilty plea in Rockland County Court before Judge Kevi…
Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate
Former NYC Public Housing Super From Hudson Valley Accepted $32K In Bribes: Here's His Fate A former NYCHA superintendent from Rockland County will spend time in jail for accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative repair contracts, federal prosecutors announced.  Corey Gilmore, 47, of West Haverstraw, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after being convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Wednesday, May 28.  Gilmore, who served as a superintendent at multiple New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments in the B…
TA Gets More Charges After Pushing Students' Heads Underwater In HV School Pool: DA TA Gets More Charges After Pushing Students' Heads Underwater In HV School Pool: DA
TA Gets More Charges After Pushing Students' Heads Underwater In HV School Pool: DA A Rockland County teaching assistant accused of submerging two non-verbal autistic children underwater during a class session has now been indicted by a grand jury on multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, prosecutors announced. Catherine Rios, 54, of Nyack, was indicted by a Rockland County grand jury on two felony counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh announced on Tuesday, May 27.   The charges stem from an alle…
Crash Causes Lane Closures On I-87 In Hudson Valley (DEVELOPING) Crash Causes Lane Closures On I-87 In Hudson Valley (DEVELOPING)
Crash Causes Lane Closures On I-87 In Hudson Valley (Developing) A crash temporarily left multiple northbound lanes blocked on Interstate 87 in Rockland County.  The incident happened on Friday, May 23 in the area of Exit 12 in West Nyack at around 1:30 p.m., according to traffic reports from 511NY.  The crash closed the left and center northbound lanes near the crash scene, causing delays until mid-afternoon on Friday.  More information about the crash has not yet been released by authorities. Check back to Daily Voice for updates. 
Man Tried To Meet With Boy In HV For Sex, Was Arrested Instead In Hotel Parking Lot: DA Man Tried To Meet With Boy In HV For Sex, Was Arrested Instead In Hotel Parking Lot: DA
Man Tried To Meet With Boy In HV For Sex, Was Arrested Instead In Hotel Parking Lot: DA A New Jersey man arrested in an undercover child exploitation operation in the parking lot of a Rockland County hotel has now been formally indicted on charges including attempted rape, prosecutors announced.  Essex County resident Carl Ellis, 55, of Maplewood, NJ, was arraigned Wednesday, May 21, in Rockland County Court on an indictment charging him with several felonies, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office announced on Thursday, May 22.  According to Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II, Ellis engaged in sexually explicit text conversations between Ap…
Taxi Driver Attacks Passenger: Suspect Was High, Had Suspended License In HV, DA Says Taxi Driver Attacks Passenger: Suspect Was High, Had Suspended License In HV, DA Says
Taxi Driver Attacks Passenger: Suspect Was High, Had Suspended License In HV, DA Says Prosecutors have released more details regarding a Rockland County taxi driver's kidnapping of a passenger who he allegedly attacked with a screwdriver during a harrowing late-night ride earlier this month.  Kevin Mazariego-Figueroa, 22, of Hillcrest, was indicted on a slew of felony charges stemming from the Monday, May 5 attack, including second-degree kidnapping and first-degree assault, the Rockland County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday, May 19.  According to prosecutors, Mazariego-Figueroa had picked up the victim, a 40-year-old woman, in his taxicab near…
Teen’s Lawn Job Turns Into Car Theft In Hudson Valley, Crash Across State Lines: Police Teen’s Lawn Job Turns Into Car Theft In Hudson Valley, Crash Across State Lines: Police
Teen’s Lawn Job Turns Into Car Theft In Hudson Valley, Crash Across State Lines: Police A 15-year-old boy is facing a series of charges in both New York and New Jersey after allegedly assaulting an elderly woman and stealing her car in the Hudson Valley under the guise of mowing her lawn before leading police on a multi-state chase that ended in a crash near the George Washington Bridge.  The events leading to the boy's arrest began around 12:22 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, in the West Ward area of the Rockland County village of Suffern. A resident contacted police after seeing her neighbor, an elderly woman, being pushed to the ground during a suspected vehicle theft, the Su…
Bear Seen Roaming In This Hudson Valley Hamlet (VIDEO) Bear Seen Roaming In This Hudson Valley Hamlet (VIDEO)
Bear Seen Roaming In This Hudson Valley Hamlet (Video) A bear was spotted sauntering in a Rockland County hamlet over the weekend.  The sighting occurred in Monsey on Sunday evening, May 18, according to The Monsey Scoop. A video posted by The Monsey Scoop showed the bear running across a paved path into nearby woods.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Monsey Scoop (@monseyscoop) Although the exact location of the sighting was not immediately available, the outlet said police are urging residents to leave the animals alone.  According to the New York State Department o…
Driver Pulled From Flipped SUV Off Palisades Parkway In Hudson Valley Driver Pulled From Flipped SUV Off Palisades Parkway In Hudson Valley
Driver Pulled From Flipped SUV Off Palisades Parkway In Hudson Valley Emergency crews sprang into action early in the morning after a serious two-car crash left one driver trapped inside an overturned SUV along the Palisades Parkway in Rockland County. The crash happened around 6:54 a.m. on Thursday, May 15, when Hillcrest Fire Company was dispatched for a vehicle extrication on the southbound side of the Palisades Parkway.  Upon arrival, crews discovered that one of the vehicles, an SUV, had veered off the roadway and come to rest on its side in a wooded area—with the driver still inside and unable to get out.  Firefighters responded swiftly, work…
Car Hits DOT Sign, Flips On Thruway In Hudson Valley: Driver Escapes Through Windshield Car Hits DOT Sign, Flips On Thruway In Hudson Valley: Driver Escapes Through Windshield
Car Hits DOT Sign, Flips On Thruway In Hudson Valley: Driver Escapes Through Windshield A driver escaped serious injury after crashing into a DOT message board in Rockland County and overturning their vehicle on the New York State Thruway Wednesday morning, May 14.  The crash happened on Wednesday morning, prompting a response from Spring Hill EMS and New York State Police. When crews arrived, they found the vehicle flipped over, but the driver had already crawled out through the windshield to escape.  Authorities say the driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital in stable condition by Spring Hill EMS. 
Taxi Driver Kidnaps Woman, Attacks Her With Screwdriver Before Crashing In Hudson Valley: Cops Taxi Driver Kidnaps Woman, Attacks Her With Screwdriver Before Crashing In Hudson Valley: Cops
Taxi Driver Kidnaps Woman, Attacks Her With Screwdriver Before Crashing In Hudson Valley: Cops A 22-year-old taxi driver is facing multiple felony charges after allegedly kidnapping a woman, attacking her with a screwdriver, and crashing a car during the struggle in Rockland County, police said.  The incident happened around 1:45 a.m. on Monday, May 5, when Spring Valley Police responded to a report of a vehicle that had crashed into a fence at a home on Ridge Avenue. Officers arrived and found a visibly injured and distressed woman at the scene, the department announced on Tuesday, May 13.  According to investigators, the woman had been picked up by a taxi near the Evergre…
Taxi Hits School Bus In Hudson Valley Crash Taxi Hits School Bus In Hudson Valley Crash
Taxi Hits School Bus In Hudson Valley Crash A taxi struck a school bus in Rockland County, prompting a police response.  The crash happened on Monday afternoon, May 12, when a taxi collided with the bus on South Madison Avenue near Route 59 in Spring Valley, The Monsey Scoop reported.  Soon after the incident, Spring Valley Police responded to the scene.  Luckily, no injuries were reported, according to The Monsey Scoop. 
15-Year-Old Leads Cops On Multi-State Chase In Stolen Car, Crashing In NY: Police 15-Year-Old Leads Cops On Multi-State Chase In Stolen Car, Crashing In NY: Police
15-Year-Old Leads Cops On Multi-State Chase In Stolen Car, Crashing In NY: Police A 15-year-old from Pennsylvania led police on a high-speed multi-state chase from New Jersey into Rockland County in a stolen car before crashing into a tree on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, police said.  The pursuit began just after noon on Sunday, May 11, when troopers responded to a report of a vehicle being chased northbound on the parkway in the town of Clarkstown, New York State Police announced on Monday, May 12.  Investigators say the car, a 2024 Subaru, had been reported stolen out of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and was originally being pursued by the New Jersey Palisades…
Drink With Your Pup: Dog Park, Bar To Open In Hudson Valley Drink With Your Pup: Dog Park, Bar To Open In Hudson Valley
Drink With Your Pup: Dog Park, Bar To Open In Hudson Valley A one-of-a-kind hangout spot is about to open in Rockland County, and it's designed for both dogs and their humans.  Bark ‘n Brews, Rockland County’s first dog park and bar, will hold its grand opening on Friday, May 30, at 35 Smith St. in Nanuet, offering a tail-wagging mix of local drinks, fresh food, and off-leash fun.  The concept is the creation of the team behind Paw Pals, a longtime local pet care business. Owner Brittanie, who dreamed up the idea back in 2019, says it started as a community event and has now grown into a full-time weekend destination.  "In 2019 I tho…
Car Slams Into Pharmacy When New Driver Mistakes Gas Pedal In Hudson Valley: Police Car Slams Into Pharmacy When New Driver Mistakes Gas Pedal In Hudson Valley: Police
Car Slams Into Pharmacy When New Driver Mistakes Gas Pedal In Hudson Valley: Police A car slammed into the front of a pharmacy in Rockland County after the driver accidentally hit the gas instead of the brakes while trying to park, police said.  The crash happened at Bardonia Pharmacy on Route 304 on Monday morning, May 12, according to the Clarkstown Police Department.  Police said the driver, a 20-year-old woman, was attempting to park when she mistakenly accelerated, causing the vehicle to crash into the building’s front entrance. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.  First responders from Nanuet Ambulance and Rockland Paramedics evaluated the driver …
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG 8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG
8 NY Nissan Dealerships Must Pay $3.2M For Overcharging Customers: NY AG Eight Nissan dealerships across New York—including ones in Rockland County and on Long Island—have been ordered to pay more than $3.2 million for illegally overcharging over 1,700 customers who were trying to buy out their leased vehicles, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced.  According to James, who unveiled the agreement on Tuesday, May 6, the dealerships added bogus fees or inflated prices to final invoices, forcing customers to pay more than the amount promised in their original lease agreements.  The affected dealerships include:  Action Nissan in Ro…
Home Health Aide Forced Victim, 78, To Write Checks To Her At Knifepoint In Hudson Valley: DA Home Health Aide Forced Victim, 78, To Write Checks To Her At Knifepoint In Hudson Valley: DA
Home Health Aide Forced Victim, 78, To Write Checks To Her At Knifepoint In Hudson Valley: DA A Bronx woman has been convicted of threatening an elderly Rockland County man with a knife and forcing him to write nearly $19,000 in checks to her while serving as his live-in health aide, prosecutors announced. Delores Anderson, age 60, was found guilty on five counts of second-degree grand larceny after a one-week jury trial in Rockland County Court, District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced on Friday, May 9.  Anderson worked as a live-in aide for a 78-year-old man living in a senior assisted living complex in Pearl River from December 2022 through August 2023, prosecutors sai…
Rally Planned After Woman Forcibly Removed From Mike Lawler Town Hall In Westchester (UPDATE) Rally Planned After Woman Forcibly Removed From Mike Lawler Town Hall In Westchester (UPDATE)
Rally Planned After Woman Forcibly Removed From Mike Lawler Town Hall In Westchester (Update) Supporters of a social worker who was forcibly removed from a Westchester town hall hosted by Rep. Mike Lawler (R–NY17) will gather this weekend in Rockland County to protest what organizers call an effort to silence dissent in the district.  The event—“Rally to Support Emily Feiner, Oppose Mike Lawler’s Efforts to Silence Dissent”—will take place on Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Memorial Park, 4 Depew Ave. in the Village of Nyack, according to organizers.  Feiner was removed from Lawler’s Sunday, May 4 town hall in the Westchester County town of Somers by state tro…
Lawler: 'Radical Far-Left Activist' Was Removed From Town Hall In Westchester (UPDATE) Lawler: 'Radical Far-Left Activist' Was Removed From Town Hall In Westchester (UPDATE)
Lawler: 'Radical Far-Left Activist' Was Removed From Town Hall In Westchester (Update) US Rep. Mike Lawler has fired back following the widely shared video of the removal of a local social worker from his town hall in Westchester County.  The incident, which occurred Sunday night, May 4, involved Emily Feiner, a social worker and resident of New York’s 17th Congressional District. According to the New York Working Families Party, Feiner was forcibly removed by private security and state police after attempting to speak during the event, as Daily Voice previously reported.  A video of the incident shows attendees shouting "Let her stay" and "Shame, shame" as Feiner …
Social Worker Forcibly Removed From Rep. Mike Lawler's Town Hall In Westchester Social Worker Forcibly Removed From Rep. Mike Lawler's Town Hall In Westchester
Social Worker Forcibly Removed From Rep. Mike Lawler's Town Hall In Westchester A social worker was forcibly removed from a town hall hosted by Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) in Westchester County, prompting an outcry from attendees and local progressive groups.  The incident occurred Sunday evening, May 4, when Emily Feiner, a resident of New York’s 17th Congressional District and local social worker, was reportedly singled out by private security and physically dragged out of the event, according to a statement from the New York Working Families Party. Lawler, a Republican who represents New York's 17th Congressional District, represents all of Rockland and Putna…
Same Driver Crashes Into Bank Again On The Same Day Of The Week In Hudson Valley: Report Same Driver Crashes Into Bank Again On The Same Day Of The Week In Hudson Valley: Report
Same Driver Crashes Into Bank Again On The Same Day Of The Week In Hudson Valley: Report In a bizarre repeat incident, an elderly driver crashed into the same Webster Bank branch in Rockland County—in the same vehicle, on the same day of the week, and at the exact same location where a nearly identical crash occurred just six weeks earlier.  The latest crash occurred on Friday, May 2, at the Webster Bank at 44 Route 59 in Nanuet, prompting a swift response from the Clarkstown Police Department, Nanuet EMS, Nanuet Fire Department, and Pearl River Fire Department, according to The Monsey Scoop.   Minor injuries were reported, though no serious harm was sustained. T…
Hospitals Receive 'A' Grade For Patient Safety In Westchester, New Report Says Hospitals Receive 'A' Grade For Patient Safety In Westchester, New Report Says
Hospitals Receive 'A' Grade For Patient Safety In Westchester, New Report Says A new report has ranked hospitals in the Hudson Valley on how well they keep patients safe, and several have earned top marks.  Seven hospitals in Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties were given an "A" grade for patient safety in a new Spring 2025 report released on Thursday, May 1, by the Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit watchdog organization that advocates for safety in hospitals. These included: Westchester County  White Plains Hospital; Phelps Hospital, Sleepy Hollow; New York-Presbyterian Westchester, Bronxville; Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital; Northern We…