Beckley
WHITE PLAINS – A Valhalla man was arrested and arraigned today on charges of leaving the scene of an incident without reporting (personal injury/serious physical injury) and two counts of tampering with physical evidence, all felonies, stemming from a hit-and-run in which two pedestrians were seriously injured Nov. 13, 2016, in White Plains.
Raymond Beckley, 25, appeared in White Plains City Court. He was released on $5,000 bail.
Beckley is a former police officer. He had resigned his position as a New Rochelle Police Officer earlier on the day of the crash, and then, just hours after the crash, on Nov. 14, 2016, Beckley began work as a Police Officer in the Town of New Castle. Beckley resigned from the New Castle Police Department in January 2017.
The felony complaint alleges that late on Nov. 13, 2016, Beckley was driving his pickup truck on Hale Avenue in White Plains when he hit a man and a woman who were walking along the street. Knowing what he had done, Beckley did not stay to help the two victims, but instead, he quickly fled the scene and did not report the incident.
Beckley is also charged with tampering with evidence and trying to conceal his involvement after the hit-and-run by having his damaged pickup truck repaired and then moving the truck out of state.
The investigation that led to today’s arrest and charges was a collaborative effort between the White Plains Police Department and the Westchester County District Attorney’s Investigations Division Public Integrity Bureau.
“Upholding public integrity and prosecuting those who flaunt it is a high priority for this Office,” said Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino, Jr. “We commend the White Plains Police Department for their investigation into this crime along with our Investigations Division Public Integrity Bureau. A police officer in any jurisdiction needs to be held to the high standards for which he is sworn to uphold. Those who were injured deserve justice.”
