The Blotter: Dutchess County
By June Mercer | RFTUV Hudson Valley
Summer ended with a fight on the midway, a traffic sweep on the Taconic, and a cocaine case with a dateline that surprised no one. Welcome back to the Blotter.
A note before we begin: all charges described below are allegations. Every person named is presumed innocent unless convicted in a court of law.
Fair Season Ends With Felony Charges in Rhinebeck
The Dutchess County Fair closed out its 2026 run with corn dogs, carnival rides, and, on the evening of August 29, a fight serious enough to draw state police to the midway. According to the New York State Police, troopers responded at approximately 8:47 p.m. to a reported fight at 6636 Springbrook Avenue in Rhinebeck. A 29-year-old man suffered serious injuries. Three men were arrested: Ryan A. Depew, 32, of Catskill; Lloyd D. Depew, 31, of Kingston; and Dennis J. Appollonia, 36, of Kingston. All three face charges of Gang Assault in the Second Degree, a class C felony, and three counts each of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The child endangerment charges are tied to children being present during the altercation. A subsequent update from State Police confirmed the charges. Appollonia was remanded to the Dutchess County Justice and Transition Center on bail set at $5,000 cash, $10,000 bond, or $15,000 partially secured bond. The Depews were released under probation supervision. The Poughkeepsie Journal reported on the charges as well.
There are better ways to remember the fair.
Truckers Test the Taconic, the Taconic Wins
The Taconic State Parkway has posted signs banning commercial vehicles for a very long time. On August 19 and 20, New York State Police ran a dedicated commercial vehicle enforcement detail across Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties to see how seriously operators were taking that restriction. The answer, apparently, was not seriously enough. Troopers issued 236 uniform traffic tickets: 133 for restricted vehicle violations, 33 for signage violations, and 70 for other vehicle and traffic law infractions. Of 21 inspections conducted, 99 federal motor carrier safety violations were discovered, resulting in 6 drivers and 6 vehicles being placed out of service, per the State Police release.
Two hundred thirty-six tickets is a message.
A Poughkeepsie Name in a Regional Trafficking Case
At the end of September, the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James announced arrests connected to a Hudson Valley cocaine trafficking investigation. The joint effort involved the Attorney General's Organized Crime Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Columbia County Sheriff's Office. Among the defendants named in the announcement was Eric S. Oremus, 56, of Poughkeepsie. As always, charges in this matter are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in court. Details on the full scope of the alleged operation were outlined in the Attorney General's release.
Poughkeepsie appearing in a Hudson Valley drug trafficking case is, at this point, simply a dateline.
Sources
New York State Police: "Three Arrested Following Assault at Dutchess County Fair"
New York State Police: "Update: Three Arrested Following Assault at Dutchess County Fair"
Poughkeepsie Journal: "Attack at Dutchess County Fair Leads to Gang Assault Charges"
New York State Police: "State Police Conduct Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Detail on Taconic State Parkway"
EIN Presswire / AG James's Office: "Attorney General James Announces Takedown of Hudson Valley Cocaine Trafficking Ring"
