Two Defendants Charged with Murder for Slaying of Newburgh Man

Arrested After High Speed Chase with Police

Two Other Defendants Charged with Weapon Possession

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Tuesday, February 26, 2019, Steven Williams, 29, and Donnell Johnson, 24, both of Poughkeepsie, were arraigned before Orange County Court Judge Craig Stephen Brown on an Indictment charging them with felonies including Murder in the Second Degree. Tysheed McPhee, 23, and Kyreem Selman, 18, also of Poughkeepsie, who were charged in the same indictment, were arraigned on charges including Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree.

At the arraignments prosecutors argued that on January 25, 2019 at about 10:20 PM, all four of the defendants were in a car being driven by Johnson in the vicinity of Hasbrook and Williams Streets, in the City of Newburgh. Prosecutors argued that Williams and Johnson caused the death of a Newburgh man by shooting him from the car with pistols. All four of the defendants were charged with two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree for possessing a .380 semi-automatic pistol and a .357 caliber revolver, and two counts of Tampering with Physical Evidence for disposing of those weapons during a high-speed chase that began in the City of Newburgh and which ended in Poughkeepsie. Johnson was also charged with Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree, Unlawful Fleeing from a Police Officer and Reckless Driving for driving the car at excessive speeds, swerving between lanes among other motorists, and driving on the shoulder of the highway, in an attempt to avoid being stopped by a pursuing Town of Newburgh Police Officer. The chase ended when the car being driven by Johnson crashed into a tree in the City of Poughkeepsie.

Bail was set for Williams and Johnson in the amount of $1,000,000 cash or $2,000,000 bond. Bail was set for McPhee was set in the amount of $200,000 cash or bond. Williams, Johnson and McPhee remain incarcerated. Kyreem Selman posted bail which had been set in the amount of $150,000 cash or bond. All the defendants are scheduled to next appear in court on March 27, 2019.

District Attorney Hoovler thanked the City of Newburgh Police Department for their investigation and the Town of Newburgh Police Department for their pursuit of the defendants.

“Random gun violence on our city streets simply cannot be tolerated,” said District Attorney David Hoovler. “The heroic work that police officers perform every day to protect us from gun violence is epitomized by the actions of the Town of Police Officer whose quick thinking resulted in this car being stopped. My deepest condolences go out to the family of the victim. My Office will continue to work with all our law enforcement partners to reduce gun violence so that hopefully, no one will again have to mourn the loss of loved-one to senseless gun violence.”

The case is being prosecuted by Chief Trial Assistant District Attorney John Geidel.

This criminal charge is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a violation of the criminal law, and it is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the State of New York’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.