WAPPINGERS FALLS – A young woman led police on a high-speed chase down Route 9 late Thursday night. The pursuit ended when the subject’s 2023 GMC SUV crashed into the rear of a marked police SUV belonging to the Wappingers Falls PD. Two officers were injured and taken to MidHudson Regional Hospital after the wreck that occurred between Sergeant Palmateer Way and Middlebush Road in Wappingers Falls at approximately 11:30 p.m.
The vehicle had been observed traveling south on Route 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie at more than 100 mph. When police observed the vehicle in Wappingers Falls, the vehicle was traveling south in the northbound lane of Route 9. A state trooper initiated a traffic stop but the operator instead jumped the median and continued south in the southbound lane, where she struck the rear end of the Wappingers Falls police SUV, causing heavy damage. A state trooper then rear-ended the subject’s SUV to prevent the operator from fleeing.
The female operator was removed from the vehicle and placed in the rear of a state police cruiser while officers investigated the scene. Minutes later, she began kicking the door and windows, forcing troopers to remove her from the vehicle and place leg restraints on her. The agitated woman then began cursing and spitting, resulting in police placing a “spit-mask” over her head.
Route 9 was closed for an extended period for the accident investigation.
The subject was also transported to MidHudson Regional Hospital for evaluation.
The incident remains under investigation by the New York State Police.
