NEW YORK – The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has opened an investigation into the death of a civilian who died on September 5, 2026 following a motor vehicle collision on August 31, 2026 involving an off-duty Westchester County Department of Correction (WCDOC) officer in Cornwall, Orange County.

Shortly before 10:30 p.m. on August 31, an off-duty WCDOC officer was driving on State Route 32 in Cornwall. As the officer turned right onto Quaker Avenue, the officer struck a pedestrian. The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital, where he died of his injuries on September 5, 2026.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident.

https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-office-special-investigation-opens-investigation-27