State Police are investigating a fatal accident that shut down the Palisades Parkway Sunday morning for hours. State Police say 29 year-old Raul Ortunouzha of Peekskill was driving northbound on the Parkway around 4:50 Sunday morning when he failed to negotiate a bend in the roadway, crossed over the median and into the southbound lanes, striking another car head-on. Ortunouzha was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other car suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The investigation continues.
Fire Destroys Monsey Home, No Major Injuries Reported
No serious injuries after a house fire Sunday evening in Monsey. The fire struck 19 Main Street around 6 p.m. News 12 says the fire began on a second floor rear porch. Firefighters from seven area departments worked to extinguish the blaze or were on standby. One man suffered minor injuries, and a firefighter twisted his knee. The fire is under investigation.
Blauvelt Man Sentenced in CT Hate Crime Case
A Blauvelt man was sentenced last week to three years in prison and three years of supervised release, for making repeated anti-Semitic death threats to a Jewish woman who lived in Stratford, Connecticut. 49 year-old Christopher Rascoll reportedly threatened her via text, voicemail and Facebook posts for seven months. The FBI’s investigation also identified several others who Rascoll had reportedly threatened. Rascoll was arrested in June last year and he pleaded guilty in April to “interference with the right to fair housing” as a hate crime, and sending threatening communications.
Rockland Pols, Former NYPD, Slam Ex-Governor’s Grant of Clemency to Brinks Participant
The fallout continues over the former governor’s grant of clemency to Brinks participant David Gilbert. Rockland County Executive Ed Day, formerly of the NYPD, said Friday Andrew Cuomo’s actions are maddening…
Stony Point supervisor Jim Monaghan, also formerly of the NYPD, says he was working as a Rockland Corrections officer at the time the Brinks Heist occurred…
Nyack police sergeant Edward O’Grady, officer Waverly “Chipper” Brown and Brinks guard Peter Paige were killed in the heist. Gilbert has served 40 years of a 75-years-to-life sentence so far, and he’ll still need to convince the parole board that he deserves to get out early.
Another notorious killer will be walking free. Sirhan Sirhan, who was convicted of fatally shooting former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy back in 1968, was granted parole Friday with the support of two of Kennedy’s children. Six of Kennedy’s kids, including Andrew Cuomo’s former wife, Kerry Kennedy, opposed his release.
O&R Crews Heading to Gulf Coast to Assist in Hurricane Ida Repairs
Orange & Rockland crews and equipment are on their way to the Gulf Coast region to help restore power following the devastation left behind by Hurricane Ida. It’s now weakened to a tropical storm after knocking out power to more than 1 million homes and businesses in the New Orleans area.