Newburgh, NY, USA

Monday, 2 March 2009

Deputy kills driver trying to run down bar bouncers

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the early Saturday morning shooting and killing of an SUV driver outside a bar in Chester.  An off duty Orange County Sheriff’s deputy fired the fatal shots as the unidentified man attempted to run down bouncers.

The State Police, Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office are looking into the incident, which occurred at the GW Sports Grill in the Chester Commons Mall at 12:15 a.m.

Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Yela, 30, who has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1998, intervened when an individual drove his SUV up on a sidewalk and struck an employee and endangered other patrons outside the bar. Yela fired and shot and killed the driver, said authorities.

A male bystander was wounded but is expected to recover.

The man shot to death has not been identified and carried no ID.  The SUV had a Pennsylvania license plate.  Authorities believe the man could be from the Milford area, in Pike County, about eight miles south of Port Jervis.