By June Mercer | October 29, 2026
Dutchess County
Thursday's public-safety news came from four directions. State Police announced the arrests of two Hudson men on attempted murder charges in connection with an October 20 shooting in the Columbia County town of Stockport, a case investigated by Troop K, the troop that covers Dutchess County. Dutchess County unveiled a new 24/7 animal cruelty hotline set to go live Sunday. A former NYPD sergeant was sentenced for a fatal wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway. And across the Hudson in Orange County, Town of Newburgh police opened a possible hate-crime investigation after a swastika was spray-painted on a supervisor candidate's campaign sign. No new arrest releases arrived from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Hyde Park Police Department, the Beacon Police Department, the Fishkill Police Department, or the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office.
Two Hudson Men Charged With Attempted Murder in Stockport Shooting
State Police have charged two Hudson men with attempted murder in connection with a shooting in the Columbia County town of Stockport, according to a Troop K press release dated October 29. Devin Mackey, 23, and Demetries Mackey, 21, both of Hudson, were arrested on October 26, 2026, following what State Police described as an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Livingston, conducted in conjunction with the Columbia County District Attorney's Office.
The investigation stems from a shooting on October 20, 2026. At approximately 4:21 p.m., State Police at Livingston responded to Hill Street in the town of Stockport for a report of a 44-year-old male who had sustained a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local medical facility for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries; he was not identified in the release.
Each defendant faces the same six charges: Attempted Murder in the Second Degree (Intent to Cause Death), a class B felony; Burglary in the First Degree, a class B felony; Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree (Loaded Firearm), a class C felony; Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a class D felony; Assault in the Second Degree (Intent to Cause Physical Injury with a Weapon or Instrument), a class D felony; and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, class A misdemeanors. Both defendants were arraigned in the Town of Stockport Court and remanded to the Columbia County Jail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. State Police thanked the Columbia County Sheriff's Office for its assistance.
Stockport and Hudson are in Columbia County, north of Dutchess. The case was investigated and announced by Troop K, the State Police troop that covers Dutchess County.
Dutchess County Launches 24/7 Animal Cruelty Hotline
Dutchess County is giving residents a new, centralized number to report suspected animal abuse, neglect, and other animal welfare concerns. The hotline launches Sunday, November 1, 2026, according to a Facebook post by the Dutchess County Legislature, as reported by 94.3 Lite FM on October 29.
The line, (845) 867-5055, is available around the clock, with calls answered by trained operators. The guidance from officials is straightforward: if an animal or person is in immediate danger, call 911; for everything else, the new hotline is the place to start. It handles reports of suspected animal cruelty, violations of humane laws, and other non-emergency animal welfare concerns.
The hotline was developed through a partnership among the Legislature's Animal Welfare and Community Stewardship Committee, the Dutchess County Department of Emergency Response, the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office, and the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office. County officials describe it as a first step toward a more coordinated countywide response, with a goal of streamlining reporting and improving communication between agencies.
Anna Shah, co-chair of the Legislature's Animal Welfare and Community Stewardship Committee, said her years of experience in animal rescue have shown how important a fast response is when an animal is suffering. Shah also noted a connection that shapes the urgency behind the initiative: animal cruelty can be linked to other serious crimes, including domestic violence, making early intervention important for protecting both animals and people.
Committee co-chair Eric Alexander said the county needs stronger humane law enforcement capabilities and more shelter space for abused and abandoned animals. Officials say the new reporting system should help them better understand the scope of the problem while improving law enforcement's ability to act.
Sheriff Kirk Imperati said making it easier for residents to report suspected abuse matters because that initial report is a critical first step in any investigation. District Attorney Anthony Parisi said the centralized process will help ensure suspected animal cruelty is reported, properly investigated, and prosecuted when appropriate.
Former NYPD Sergeant Sentenced in Fatal Wrong-Way Taconic Crash
A court outcome in a fatal wrong-way crash on the Taconic State Parkway: former New York City Police Department Sergeant Tiffany Howell, 48, of Warwick, Orange County, was sentenced October 28 to four to 12 years in prison, concurrent, for causing the death of Manuel Boitel, 61, according to a release from New York Attorney General Letitia James, reported October 29 by 94.3 Lite FM.
The crash occurred in Mount Pleasant, Westchester County, on January 22, 2026, according to 94.3 Lite FM. Howell was off-duty and driving south in the northbound lanes of the Taconic at more than 50 miles per hour when she struck Boitel's car head-on at 11:37 p.m. Howell's blood alcohol content was at least 0.18 at the time, according to the Attorney General's release. Boitel was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
On August 19, 2026, Howell pleaded guilty to Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a class B felony, and Manslaughter in the Second Degree, a class C felony, before Judge Anne B. Bianchi in Westchester County Court. At sentencing, her driver's license was revoked and she waived her right to appeal. The Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation assessed the incident under state law governing deaths that an officer, on-duty or off-duty, may have caused.
The crash and the prosecution are in Westchester County. The Taconic runs north through the heart of Dutchess County, making outcomes on that road relevant to communities along its entire length.
Swastika on Campaign Sign Investigated as Possible Hate Crime in Town of Newburgh
Police in the Town of Newburgh, in neighboring Orange County, are investigating a swastika spray-painted on a supervisor candidate's campaign sign as a possible hate crime, according to Radio Catskill, published October 29.
Scott Manley, the Republican nominee for Town of Newburgh Supervisor and the current Deputy Supervisor, said he first learned of the vandalism Wednesday morning when texts and phone calls from residents started coming in. The defaced sign was found on Lakeside Road near Union Avenue.
Town of Newburgh Police Chief Bruce Campbell said he believes the incident occurred overnight and noted that Manley's signs have been vandalized before, but this is the first time he has seen a swastika used. Campbell made the stakes clear: "We're taking all these incidents very serious because it is a crime to vandalize these signs but certainly becomes much more serious when it becomes a hate crime."
Manley, who is Jewish, described his reaction to Radio Catskill: "It's a big difference when you see a picture to when you pull up to it. Truthfully, when I saw it, my stomach turned, and I thought of my family, especially my mother. I'm Jewish myself." In a Facebook post, Manley called the image "a blatant symbol of antisemitism and intimidation" and said it "will not deter our work," adding: "There is absolutely no place for antisemitism, bigotry, or hatred in the Town of Newburgh or anywhere in our country."
Stephen Krasner, the Democratic nominee running against Manley, also condemned the incident on Facebook, writing that "antisemitism and hate have absolutely no place in our community."
Campbell is asking anyone with information to contact the Town of Newburgh Police Department at 845-564-1100.
Charges are accusations; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
No release dated October 29 was found from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Office (its newest release is dated October 23), the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Hyde Park Police Department, the Beacon Police Department, the Fishkill Police Department, or the Dutchess County District Attorney's Office.
