Middletown resident Rickey Melvin was killed in an incident on Monday, Jan. 27 at around 5:56 a.m. at the intersection of Wickham Avenue and Fairlawn Avenue in Middletown, according to City of Middletown Police Department Lieutenant Jeffry Thoelen.
Arriving officers found Melvin lying in the eastbound lane of Wickham Avenue after responding to a 911 call reporting that a pedestrian had been gravely injured, with bystanders already performing CPR.
A Coach USA commuter bus was stopped nearby in the westbound lane. The driver of the bus, who was the only occupant, remained on the scene and fully cooperated with authorities.
Melvin was transported by Empress Ambulance to Garnet Health Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Police said Melvin was reportedly homeless and had been staying at various locations in the area over the past few weeks.
The Middletown Police Department, assisted by the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Commercial Enforcement Unit, soon launched an investigation into the crash. An operational dash camera onboard the bus captured the collision.
Authorities said no charges are pending against the bus driver at this time. The bus was towed from the scene for a full inspection.
Police noted that Melvin was physically disabled, which limited his walking speed, and he was wearing dark-colored clothing at the time of the crash, which appears to have been a significant contributing factor.
The eastbound portion of Route 211 (Wickham Avenue) was closed between Wisner Avenue and Certified Drive for several hours while police conducted their investigation. The roadway reopened by early afternoon.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is urged to contact the Middletown Police Detective Division at 845-343-3152.
This remains an ongoing investigation. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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