DANIEL O’BRIEN SENTENCED FOR RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT IN THE FIRST DEGREE
DANIEL O’BRIEN SENTENCED FOR RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT IN THE FIRST DEGREE
CARMEL, NEW YORK – MAY 3, 2017: Putnam County District Attorney Robert V. Tendy announced today the conviction of Daniel M. O’Brien, 37, of Cochecton, New York, of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, a class D felony. As part of a plea deal, the defendant pleaded guilty to this charge on March 21, 2017, and was sentenced by the Honorable James Reitz to a term of 1-3 years in state prison on May 16, 2017.
At approximately 10:30 PM on the night of April 14, 2016, O’Brien was driving a motor vehicle in Connecticut when law enforcement attempted to pull him over for a traffic infraction. Rather than comply, O’Brien fled the police in his vehicle, leading them on a high-speed chase, during which his speed exceeded 100 miles per hour, on Interstate 84 into New York. Connecticut authorities ceased their pursuit at the state border and notified New York State Police of their pursuit. New York State Police vehicles located the defendant, who again failed to stop his vehicle. O’Brien continued to drive on local roads in the towns of Southeast and Carmel recklessly and at excessive speeds, causing at least one other vehicle to swerve off of the road and nearly hitting several other vehicles, all while still being pursued by police officers.
O’Brien stopped his vehicle only when he hit a concrete curb on Route 6 in the town of Carmel, and was quickly surrounded by law enforcement from multiple jurisdictions. O’Brien then charged at a deputy from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and wrestled with him, until the deputy and other officers were able to subdue and arrest him.
District Attorney Tendy would like to thank the New York State Police, Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, and Village of Brewster Police Department, whose members were involved in O’Brien’s pursuit and apprehension. “This defendant showed a depraved indifference to human life by fleeing police officers and leading them on a high-speed and very dangerous pursuit,” said DA Tendy. “I would like to thank all of the officers and agencies involved in this case for safely pursuing and arresting the defendant before he caused a crash that resulted in injuries or worse to innocent third parties.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Larry Glasser.
