Police Release More Info On Mahopac Vehicular Homicide Arrest

PUTNAM, N.Y. -- New York State Police from the Brewster barracks have released information regarding the arrest of Richard O’Keefe, 57, a Carmel police officer and Mahopac resident, for aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, and driving while intoxicated following a fatal accident.

A look at the scene of the accident on Route 6 in Mahopac.
Photo Credit: *Skip Pearlman*

Richard O’Keefe, 57, of Mahopac, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, and driving while intoxicated, following a fatal accident, said the New York State Police.
Photo Credit: *New York State Police*

K Reakes

11/17/2015 6:30 p.m.

State troopers were dispatched to investigate a three-car fatal accident at the request of the Carmel Police Department, that had occurred on Route 6 in the Mahopac portion of Carmel on the evening of Saturday, Nov.14, state police said.

An investigation into the accident revealed that a Jeep Patriot operated by Anna Estrada, 53, of Carmel, exited a parking area to make a left-hand turn onto Route 6 south, failing to yield the right of way to a Dodge Caravan driven by O’Keefe. O’Keefe’s vehicle struck the Jeep on the drivers’ side, causing it to overturn. A third vehicle, driven by 56-year-old Philip Kossin of Mahopac, was also struck as a result of the crash, police said.

A rear-seat passenger in Estrada’s vehicle, Frances Ghelarducci, 54, of Mahopac was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. Anna Estrada, and her passengers Steven Ghelarducci, 54, and Ernest Estrada, 57, both of Mahopac, were transported to Westchester Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Ghelarducci worked as a teaching assistant at Primrose Elementary School

Kossin, O’Keefe, and his passenger, 30-year-old Michael J. Guariloff, were uninjured, police said.

While interviewing O’Keefe, troopers said they observed clues that indicated he was intoxicated at the time of the crash and he was placed in custody.

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.

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