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The incident unfolded around 2:36 p.m. Wednesday when the City of Middletown Police received a call for a reported motor vehicle crash in the area of 37 Heidt Ave., said the City of Middletown Lt. Lt. Jeffry R. Thoelen, commander of Operations.
Upon arriving in the area, Middletown police officers located a 19-year-old male lying on a snowbank in front of 13 Heidt Ave., suffering from three separate stab wounds, Thoelen said.
The victim was bleeding profusely, and Middletown police officers provided life-saving emergency medical care and arranged for transport of the victim to Orange Regional Medical Center via Mobile Life Support Ambulance.
The victim was treated and underwent surgery for his wounds, and is currently listed in stable condition at Orange Regional Medical Center. His identity is being withheld at this time, Thoelen added.
The incident is currently being investigated by the City of Middletown Police Department Detective Division, led by Detective Sergeant Jason Jennings. An investigation to date found that the victim, a Town of Wallkill resident, made an arrangement via a social media app to conduct a sale of THC oil, an illegal substance commonly used for vaping that has similar properties to marijuana.
The victim and suspect arranged a meeting on Adams Avenue in the City of Middletown, during which time the victim picked up the suspect in his vehicle and the two began traveling together, Thoelen said.
Sometime during the trip, the victim exchanged a vial of THC oil with the suspect. The suspect then reportedly stated that he did not have any money to purchase the product, and pulled out a knife with which he proceeded to stab the victim in the head, chest, and shoulder, as the victim was driving on Heidt Avenue, he added.
"This action caused the victim to lose control of the vehicle, striking shrubs and other landscaping in the area of 37 Heidt Avenue," Thoelen said. "The victim continued driving, eventually fleeing from the vehicle in the area of 13 Heidt Avenue."
The suspect then took over control of the victim’s vehicle and fled the area. Residents from Heidt Avenue observed the victim lying outside and immediately contacted the police department.
The victim’s vehicle, a 2009 White Acura MDX SUV, was later found by Middletown Police officers unoccupied and abandoned in the area of Maple Drive in the City of Middletown.
The vehicle has been impounded for evidence purposes. At this time, the search for the suspect is ongoing. The suspect is described as a Hispanic male, unknown age, who was last seen wearing a blue jacket with a hood on it.
The City of Middletown Police is looking to speak with anyone who may have witnessed any part of this incident. Individuals can contact our agency via telephone at 845-343- 3151, via Facebook, or via NIXLE by texting TIP Middletown to the phone number 888777.
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