District Attorney Hoovler Announces 12 Year State Prison Sentence In Police Vehicular Assault Case

June 7, 2017

Campbell Hall Man Sentenced to 12 Years In Prison for Injuring
Police Officers and Others in High Speed Chase

Orange County District Attorney David M. Hoovler announced that on Monday, June 5, 2017, Christopher Peloso, 29, of Campbell Hall, was sentenced to twelve years in state prison by Orange County Court Judge Robert H. Freehill for injuring two police officers and others following a high speed chase. On December 5, 2016 Peloso was convicted after a bench trial of Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer or a Peace Officer, Assault in the Second Degree (4 Counts), Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree (8 Counts), Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree (3 Counts), Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under The Influence of Alcohol (2 Counts), Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree, Reckless Driving, Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, and Resisting Arrest.

Peloso was sentenced to twelve years in state prison and five years post-release supervision on the top count of Attempted Aggravated Assault Upon a Police Officer or a Peace Officer; five years in prison and five years post-release supervision for each of four counts of Assault in the Second Degree; two to six years in state prison for each of the eight counts of Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree and three counts of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree; one year in the Orange County Jail for each of the counts of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, two counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol, Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle in the Third Degree, Reckless Driving, Leaving the Scene of an Incident Without Reporting, and Resisting Arrest. The sentences and post-release supervision on each count will run concurrently, so that Peloso received a total sentence of twelve years in state prison and five years post-release supervision. Peloso was also orderd to pay $12,690.52 in restitution.

Prosecutors argued that on December 21, 2014, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Peloso was driving in a modified Ford pick-up truck when he led police on a high speed chase after police attempted to pull him over for a traffic infraction. The chase ended on Route 747 after Peloso intentionally rammed three of the police cars and continued to try to escape apprehension. During the chase, Peloso’s vehicle also hit another civilian’s vehicle, severely damaging it. One of the two injured occupants of that vehicle is going to have surgery as a result of the collision. Two police officers were injured in the incident. One Town of Newburgh Police Officer suffered injuries which ended his career as a police officer. District Attorney Hoovler thanked the Town of Newburgh Police Department for their assistance in the arrest and investigation of the case.

“This defendant’s conduct easily could have resulted in one or more deaths,” said District Attorney Hoovler. “His intentional actions ended one police officer’s career and endangered the lives of many others. Hopefully, the twelve year prison sentence imposed on him will impress upon him the seriousness of his crimes, and will deter others from engaging the police in high speed chases. The failure to comply with lawful commands of the police, including commands to pull over to the side of the road as directed, endangers not only the offender and the police, but innocent civilians as well.”

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