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69°
Wednesday, mar 19
Tag:
Orange County, NY
News
Dog Left In Soaked Box Outside Pet Care Facility In Hudson Valley: Suspects At Large
The search is on for whoever left a severely neglected dog overnight in the trash and recycling area of an Orange County veterinary office, left to suffer in the cold, wind, and rain before staff discovered him the next morning. The dog, now named Olaf, was found on Monday morning, March 17, 2025, after enduring a freezing night outside near the garbage bins of Quality Pet Care, LLC in Middletown, the staff announced in a Facebook post. Security footage is being reviewed, and the Town of Wallkill Police Department is actively investigating to identify those responsible for…
News
Man Who Murdered 9-Year-Old, Parents In Hudson Valley Learns His Fate, DA Says
An Orange County man who executed a family inside their home, including a nine-year-old child, has earned quite a lengthy sentence, authorities announced. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, Kaliek Goode-Ford, 35, was sentenced to life without parole in Orange County Court by Judge Craig Stephen Brown, according to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. Goode-Ford was convicted in January of all charges against him, including three counts of first-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons possession, for the 2020 massacre in Newburgh. During the trial, prosecutors detaile…
Police & Fire
Repeat Offender Assaults, Chokes Officer In Hudson Valley, Police Say
An Orange County police department is speaking out against bail reform laws after one of its officers was assaulted by an alleged repeat offender with a lengthy history of arrests and mental health-related incidents, authorities said. The attack occurred on Friday, March 14, 2025, when 52-year-old Jerry Watkins, who is currently homeless, allegedly choked and assaulted a uniformed City of Middletown Police Department officer during an encounter, the department announced on Monday, March 17. Watkins, who has had 28 documented interactions with law enforcement since January …
Obituaries
Fallen K9 Remembered In Hudson Valley: Leaves Legacy of 'Service, Love,' Sheriff's Office Says
The Orange County Sheriff's Office is mourning the loss of K9 Walter, a dedicated four-legged officer who died at age 9 after a career of distinguished service. The death of Walter, a Shepherd-Border Collie mix, was announced by the Sheriff's Office on Monday, March 17. In their announcement, authorities said Walter began his journey in law enforcement after being rescued from a shelter, "proving that even the most humble beginnings can lead to extraordinary achievements." Paired with Sgt. Justin Worden, Walter worked tirelessly from March 2017 until his retirem…
Schools
District To Retire 'Raiders' Name In Hudson Valley To Avoid Losing State Funding: Officials
An Orange County school district has announced it will no longer use the “Raiders” name for its athletic teams following state education regulations that prohibit schools from using Native American-related team names and imagery. In a letter to the community on Wednesday, March 12, Port Jervis City School District Superintendent John J. Bell confirmed the decision, stating that the district will not select a new team name at this time. The "Raiders" name and mascot logo will be dropped as of Monday, June 30, Bell wrote. In his letter, Bell explained several reasons b…
Police & Fire
$200K Scheme: Man Accused of Embezzling From Civic Organizations In Hudson Valley, Police Say
A Putnam County resident entrusted as the treasurer for two local civic organizations has been arrested for allegedly embezzling more than $200,000 over several years, authorities announced. Mark A. Kenny, age 61, was arrested on Wednesday, March 12, on grand larceny charges following an investigation that began in December, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday, March 13. According to the Sheriff's Office, the investigation began when board members from a civic organization in Garrison contacted authorities, suspecting that their treasurer was stealing funds.…
Lifestyle
Hulk Hogan Cuts Hudson Valley Meet-And-Greet Short, Leaving Fans Hurt: 'Don't Meet Your Heroes'
Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan ruffled up some feathers in the Hudson Valley after allegedly walking out of a local meet-and-greet event early, leaving some hopeful fans heartbroken. The controversy occurred at an event in Orange County at the Montgomery ShopRite on Wednesday, March 5, where Hogan was holding a meet-and-greet to promote his "Real American Beer." Many fans raced to the supermarket for a chance to meet their hero, with many waiting for hours in line. However, after Hogan left the event, several disappointed people took to social media to vent about their missed opportunity…
Police & Fire
Man Wanted For Sex Abuse, Endangering Child In Hudson Valley:
Nysp
Authorities are asking for help from the public in the search for a 35-year-old man wanted for sexual abuse charges in Orange County. Juan A. Gonzalez Gomez is wanted in connection to an active indictment warrant out of Orange County, New York State Police announced on Wednesday, March 12. Gonzalez Gomez faces charges of first-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is described as a Hispanic man who is 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. According to State Police, Gonzalez Gomez also has two activ…
News
S'mores Started Massive Brush Fire Outside Hamptons, Officials Say
A family attempting to make s’mores in their backyard accidentally sparked several brush fires that burned hundreds of acres on Long Island, authorities said. An investigation by Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives determined that high winds spread embers from a Manorville backyard on Cozine Road after the family attempted to start a fire for s’mores, the agency announced Monday, March 10. “It’s believed strong winds spurred additional fires from embers leading to the brush fires,” Suffolk County Police said. Detectives are continuing to speak with witnesses and investigate tips,…
Police & Fire
Escaped Psychiatric Patient Attacked Employee, Took ID Card At Hudson Valley Hospital: Police
A psychiatric patient who escaped from an Orange County hospital after attacking a hospital employee has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including a prior bomb threat, authorities announced. On Thursday, March 6, Christopher M. Morgan, 40, of Port Jervis, was a patient at Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown when he violently assaulted a 74-year-old hospital employee, forcefully taking their ID access card, New York State Police said on Friday, March 7. Morgan then used the stolen card to flee the behavioral health unit and escaped the hospital on foot, as Dail…
News
$50K Scheme: Disbarred Attorney From Hudson Valley Accused Of Stealing From Client
A former Westchester real estate attorney from Orange County has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly stealing more than $50,000 from a client’s home sale, prosecutors said. Brian Schmidt, age 49, of Warwick, was arrested and charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny in connection to the alleged theft, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office announced on Friday, Feb. 21. Prosecutors said Schmidt represented a home seller in a real estate closing between August and November 2022 but unlawfully kept more than $50,000 from the transaction. Schmidt …
Police & Fire
$40K Scheme: Former Preschool CFO Misuses Company Card In Hudson Valley, Police Say
The former Chief Financial Officer of an Orange County preschool has been accused of misusing company credit cards for over $40,000 in personal expenses, authorities announced. Westtown resident Mariann DeBlock, also known as Mariann Weymer and by her former name of Mariann McCarthy, was arrested following an investigation into unauthorized credit card transactions at the Field of Dreams Preschool in Slate Hill, the Orange County Sheriff's Office announced on Thursday, Feb. 13. DeBlock, age 39, is accused of using company-issued credit cards to make personal …
News
Man Starts Blaze At Building He Held Insurance Policy On In Hudson Valley: Here's His Fate
A 53-year-old man who admitted to intentionally setting fire to his Orange County property and later fleeing the state will now spend years in prison, prosecutors announced. Hui Zhang of Middletown was sentenced in Orange County Court on Monday, Feb. 10, to two to six years in state prison after pleading guilty to third-degree arson and second-degree bail jumping in connection with a fire in September 2021, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced on Friday, Feb. 14. According to court documents and statements, the incident occurred on Sept. 30, 2021, at approximately 3:…
News
$36M Oxycodone Trafficking Scheme: Hudson Valley Man Admits Role, Feds Say
An Orange County resident has admitted to being a key player in a massive oxycodone trafficking ring that distributed over 1.2 million pills across New York, federal prosecutors announced. Orange County resident Anthony Mathis, age 55, of New Windsor, is among eight co-defendants who have pleaded guilty to charges connected to their roles in a large-scale oxycodone trafficking scheme involving fraudulent prescriptions and the illegal distribution of over 1.2 million pills valued at $36 million, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12.&nbs…
News
Drunk Driver In Head-On Crash While 2.5 Times Over Legal Limit In Hudson Valley Learns Fate
A Hudson Valley man who admitted to causing a head-on Orange County crash while driving with a blood alcohol content more than twice the legal limit will spend years behind bars, prosecutors announced. Michael Falkena, age 42, of Sparrowbush, was sentenced in Orange County Court on Wednesday, Feb. 5, to three to six years behind bars after pleading guilty to first-degree vehicular assault, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Friday, Feb. 7. The charges stem from a multi-vehicle crash that happened on Dec. 28, 2023, on County Highway 1 in Warwick. According t…
Police & Fire
Person Jumps From Bear Mountain Bridge (
Developing
)
Authorities responded to the Bear Mountain Bridge in the Hudson Valley after a person jumped off the structure early in the morning. The incident happened on Friday, Feb. 7 at around 3:45 a.m., when a person leaped from the bridge, according to New York State Police. Authorities are still at the bridge, police said, adding that more information is not yet available. The structure connects Bear Mountain State Park in Orange County to the town of Cortlandt in Westchester County. This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
Politics
West Point Closes Clubs For Women, Minorities To Follow Trump's DEI Orders: Report
The United States Military Academy at West Point in the Hudson Valley has disbanded several extracurricular and social clubs related to gender, race, and ethnicity per President Trump's orders involving government diversity, equity, and inclusion policies, according to a report by The Washington Post. The decision to end the clubs came in the form of a memo dated Tuesday, Feb. 4, which was signed by West Point deputy commandant Chad Foster and said that the organizations would be disbanded and forced to cancel activities, The Washington Post reported. The mem…
News
Drivers Caught Passing School Buses In Hudson Valley (
Video
): 'Be Patient,' Officials Warn
Authorities in Orange County are urging drivers to obey school bus stop laws following repeated violations that continue to endanger children including many that have been caught on camera. In a social media post on Tuesday, Feb. 4, Orange County Emergency Services shared a video showing numerous instances of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses—despite flashing red lights and extended stop arms. 🚨 Watch This Video 🚨 It highlights just a few of the alarming violations we frequently witness across Orange County of... Posted by Orange County Emergency Services- NY on…
News
Man Torches NY Trooper’s Dad’s Home After Getting Ticket In Hudson Valley: Here's His Fate
An Orange County man who set fire to the home of a New York State Trooper’s father just hours after receiving a traffic ticket from him will spend decades in prison, officials announced. Middletown resident Tyler Williams, age 26, was sentenced by Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown to 20 years behind bars, followed by five years of post-release supervision, after pleading guilty to second-degree arson, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Prosecutors said that on the night of Dec. 20, 2023, a state trooper pulled Williams over …
Police & Fire
Driver Crashes Truck Through Dunkin’ In Hudson Valley, Nabbed Months After: Police
A man has been charged months after crashing his pickup truck into a Hudson Valley Dunkin’ location, causing extensive damage that led to the building’s demolition, police announced. The crash happened in Orange County on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, when 44-year-old Eric Schrader, of Pine Bush, drove a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado eastbound on Route 52 before crossing the westbound lane, leaving the roadway, and slamming into the Dunkin’ building in Crawford, the Crawford Police Department announced on Monday, Feb. 3. Schrader's truck barreled more than three-quarters of the way into …
Obituaries
Longtime Ambulance Corps Captain From Hudson Valley Dies: 'Mentor, Friend, Guiding Light'
An Orange County community is mourning the loss of Lorraine Eiben, a longtime volunteer ambulance corps member and former captain who served her community for decades. Eiben, a 60-year member of the Tuxedo Volunteer Ambulance Corps, died on Friday, Jan. 31, her son Edward Humenanski announced. Eiben was a pillar of the TVAC for 60 years, serving with unwavering passion and commitment. Under her leadership, TVAC expanded and thrived, earning accolades that recognized both her contributions and the organization’s growth. "Lorraine Eiben will be remembered not only…
Police & Fire
2 Firefighters Injured While Battling Blaze In Hudson Valley, Residents Evacuated
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while battling a large fire that tore through a residence in Orange County late Friday night, Jan. 31, fire officials said. The blaze began in Newburgh just before 11:20 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, when crews were dispatched to a blaze in the area of the Montefiore St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital employee parking lot. Arriving firefighters encountered heavy smoke, eventually tracing the blaze to 74 Farrington St. Due to the deterioration of the structure, firefighters had to fight the fire from the outside using master stream devices. …
Police & Fire
Brazen Burglars Hit Same Store Again and Again In Hudson Valley, Took Electronics: Police
Three suspects have been apprehended in connection with a string of commercial burglaries that targeted the same Orange County business, authorities announced. Newburgh residents Sean Gaige, 36, Samantha Batule, 34, and Jonathan Warner, 37, were taken into custody on Friday, Jan. 31, after a police investigation linked them to multiple break-ins at a business on Pierces Road, the Newburgh Police Department said. According to police, the suspects stole several thousand dollars worth of high-end electronics over multiple incidents. The stolen goods were then sold for cash and narc…
News
Man Admits To 'Anal Sexual Contact' With Child Younger Than 11 In Hudson Valley
A 34-year-old man has pleaded guilty to charges connected to his sexual conduct with a child younger than 11 years old in Orange County, officials announced. Newburgh resident Kelvin Dubon-Rivas pleaded guilty to first-degree rape on Friday, Jan. 31 in Orange County Court, according to Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler. According to Hoovler, Dubon-Rivas admitted that in September 2024, he engaged in "anal sexual contact" with the child. When he is sentenced on Tuesday, May 20, he faces 20 years in prison followed by 20 years of post-release supervision. He w…
Police & Fire
74-Year-Old Reverses Car Through Apartment Building In Hudson Valley: Police
A 74-year-old woman was hospitalized after crashing her vehicle into an apartment building in Orange County, police said. The incident happened in the town of Wallkill on Thursday, Jan. 30, at around 4:13 p.m., when police responded to a report of a motor vehicle collision at the Patrick Campbell Apartments, located at 88 Senior Way, according to the Wallkill Police Department. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found that a vehicle driven by a Wallkill resident had collided with the apartment complex. The 74-year-old driver told police that she lost control of the vehicle while re…
News
Lead-Laced Debris Illegally Dumped At Hudson Valley Farm, Officials Say
Authorities caught a trucking company illegally dumping contaminated construction debris, including lead materials, at an Orange County farm, officials announced. The incident happened on Thursday, Jan. 9, when a New York State Department of Environmental Conservation officer saw a tri-axle dump truck unloading material at the back of a farm in the town of Montgomery. The property owner was seen grading other piles of material at the site, officials said on Wednesday, Jan. 29. More Environmental Conservation officers responded to the scene, where they determined that the debris …
News
Caught! Man’s Desperate Attempt To Hide Illegal Gun Fails In Hudson Valley
A man has admitted to gun charges after police found him hiding a firearm in his Orange County home, officials announced. Newburgh resident Ernie Prospere, age 50, pleaded guilty in Orange County Court on Monday, Jan. 27, to second-degree attempted criminal possession of a weapon and faces six years in prison, followed by five years of post-release supervision, when he returns to court on Thursday, April 3, the Orange County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Officials said Prospere was identified in a 911 call reporting a person with a gun in the City of…
Police & Fire
Hit-Run: Teen Struck By Vehicle In Hudson Valley, Driver Apprehended, Police Say
Authorities apprehended a 37-year-old man after he allegedly hit a teenager with his car and drove away in a Hasidic community in the Hudson Valley. The incident happened in the village of Kiryas Joel in Orange County on Wednesday, Jan. 29, shortly before 10 p.m., when a 2014 Toyota driving north on Garfield Road hit a 17-year-old boy who entered the road from the shoulder, according to New York State Police The Toyota then drove away and the teen was taken to Westchester Medical Center where he is now in stable condition. The driver, 37-year-old Eliezer Allami of Monroe was ch…
News
Truck Torched, Tires Slashed: Man Jailed For Arson in Dramatic Hudson Valley Incident
A 25-year-old man from Orange County will spend years in prison after admitting to setting a truck on fire and endangering lives during a dangerous confrontation. Tyler Regan, of Monroe, was sentenced to 3.5 to 7 years in prison on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025, after pleading guilty to third-degree arson, Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced on Tuesday, Jan. 28. According to Hoovler, the charges stem from a July 20, 2024, incident in Monroe. Just after midnight, Regan drove to a residence and punctured the tires of a truck parked in the driveway. After leav…
Police & Fire
Teen Leads Cops On Scooter Chase In Hudson Valley, Charged in Shots Fired Incidents: Police
A 17-year-old is facing multiple charges after allegedly fleeing police and being connected to two separate shots-fired incidents in Orange County, authorities announced. The events leading up to the boy's arrest began on Sunday, Jan. 19, just before 9:45 a.m., when City of Newburgh Police officers responded to a ShotSpotter activation in the area of 191 Washington St., the department said on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Upon arriving at the scene, an officer saw a male suspect leaving the area who matched the description from a previous shots fired incident on William Street on Monday, Jan…
Police & Fire
Fallen Tree Hits Man, Causes Severe Head Injuries In Hudson Valley
A 20-year-old man was airlifted to a hospital after suffering serious injuries from a fallen tree in the Hudson Valley. The incident happened in Orange County on Monday, Jan. 27, just before 1 p.m. on Lake Trail in Warwick, according to the Warwick Police Department. Officers, along with the Greenwood Lake Fire Department and Greenwood Lake EMS, arrived to find the victim with serious injuries. EMS personnel treated the man at the scene before he was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center for further treatment. His current condition has not been released. Authorities said the cause…
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