The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation (OSI) has launched an investigation into the death of Luis Morocho, who lost his life on August 8, 2023, following a collision with an off-duty New York State Police (NYSP) trooper in Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County. According to a press release from the Attorney General's office, this unfortunate incident occurred when the NYSP trooper, while driving his personal vehicle on State Route 9, fatally struck Mr. Morocho at the intersection with New Hackensack Road.
The investigation by the OSI is to thoroughly look into the circumstances surrounding Morocho's death. Pursuant to state law, the OSI is required to immediately assess incidents where a law enforcement officer's action or failure to act might have resulted in a civilian's death. The investigation encompasses both on-duty and off-duty situations, regardless of whether the civilian was armed or unarmed, and whether they were in custody or not. The law stipulates that OSI must quickly to begin their assessment in the wake of such incidents.
After the accident, emergency services transported Mr. Morocho to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. As part of their standard procedure, the OSI has set out to gather evidence, conduct witness interviews, and analyze the scene of the incident.
The details provided regarding the incident remain preliminary and, as the investigation delves further into the case, they might be subject to changes. The OSI is committed to conducting a full and exhaustive analysis of the situation. The Attorney General’s office emphasizes that their primary goal is to ascertain whether the officer’s actions were within the confines of the law or if they crossed a line warranting criminal charges. They have yet to release further information at this time.
