Carmel man charged with Vehicular Homicide following crash investigation
NEW YORK STATE POLICE
Major Robin H. Benziger
Troop K Commander
Carmel, New York – On November 15, 2015, New York State Police from the Brewster barracks arrested Richard O’Keefe, 57 years old, of Mahopac, New York, for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a Class B Felony, Vehicular Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, a Class D Felony, and Driving While Intoxicated, an Unclassified Misdemeanor.
On the evening of Saturday, November 14, 2015, State Troopers were dispatched to investigate a 3-car fatal collision that occurred on Route 6 in the Mahopac portion of the Town of Carmel. State Police assistance was requested by the Carmel Police Department who had made the initial response.
An investigation revealed that a Jeep Patriot operated by Anna Estrada, 53 years old, of Carmel, exited a parking area to make a left-hand turn onto Route 6 south. Estrada failed to yield the right of way to a Dodge Caravan driven by Richard O’Keefe, which was traveling north on Route 6. O’Keefe’s vehicle subsequently struck the Jeep on the drivers’ side, causing it to overturn. A third vehicle, operated southbound by 56-year-old Philip Kossin of Mahopac, was also struck as a result of the crash. Kossin was not injured.
Tragically, a rear seat passenger traveling in Estrada’s vehicle, 54- year-old Frances Ghelarducci of Mahopac was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash. Anna Estrada and her passengers Steven Ghelarducci, 54 years old, and Ernest Estrada, 57 years old, both of Mahopac, New York, were transported by EMS personnel to Westchester Medical Center with non life threatening injuries.
O’Keefe and his passenger, 30-year-old Michael J. Guariloff, were uninjured.
While Troopers interviewed O’Keefe, they observed clues that indicated he was intoxicated at the time of the crash and he was placed in custody.
Mr. O’Keefe was arraigned in front of the Honorable Justice Richard Vercollone at Southeast Town Court and remanded to the Putnam County Jail in lieu of $50,000 cash bail or $100,000 bond.
The crash, which closed Route 6 for several hours, was reconstructed by the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit.
