Two people found unconscious late Friday night at a home on Milton Turnpike in Plattekill have been identified as 66-year-old James “Jimmy” Brugger, a retired City of Poughkeepsie firefighter, and his 54-year-old wife, Melinda “Mindy” Brugger. Police and EMS personnel determined both had died after responding to the residence, and investigators have not yet released a cause or manner of death.
Ulster County Sheriff's Office deputies responded to the Milton Turnpike home Friday, according to Newport Dispatch, with Plattekill Police Department officers and New York State Police troopers arriving at the scene as well. The Plattekill Police Department joined the investigation alongside the sheriff's office, and the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation also became involved. An Orange County Sheriff's Office canine unit assisted at the scene, per the same report. Authorities said they do not believe there is any threat to the public.
The couple's identities and backgrounds were confirmed by Daily Voice, which reported that scene photos showed Ulster County Sheriff's Office vehicles still positioned at the home into Saturday as investigators processed the scene.
A Decorated Career In Firefighting
James Brugger retired as a lieutenant from the City of Poughkeepsie Fire Department in January 2025 after more than 27 years of service, according to Daily Voice's reporting. Before joining Poughkeepsie's career department, he began as a volunteer firefighter in Plattekill in 1987 and later served as chief of the Plattekill Volunteer Fire Department, the outlet reported.
Brugger was a prostate cancer survivor who actively advocated for the CDC's National Firefighter Registry for Cancer, a program that tracks occupational hazardous exposures and health risks among firefighters, per Daily Voice's report. Congress established the registry in 2018 to study occupational cancer risks among career and volunteer firefighters, and the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported in February that enrollment had surpassed 40,000 U.S. firefighters, making it the nation's largest research cohort on firefighter health.
A Shared History In Emergency Medicine
Mindy Brugger worked as an Emergency Medical Technician and CPR instructor. In November 2016, the couple was credited with helping save an unconscious traveler's life by performing CPR at an airport while waiting to board a flight, according to a report from FireRescue1.
Investigation Continues, Cause Of Death Pending
Official determinations of cause and manner of death in Ulster County fall under the Ulster County Medical Examiner's Office, which is expected to perform toxicological and forensic examinations. Dr. Margaret M. Bridal was appointed county medical examiner in May 2025, according to Citizen Portal.
Key questions remain about the circumstances that led to the couple being found unconscious late Friday night, and official updates from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office or the District Attorney's Office will be critical next steps in the investigation, Newport Dispatch reported.
The Plattekill Police Department is based at 1124 Milton Turnpike in Clintondale, under Police Chief Oscar Lopez, and works closely with the Ulster County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police. Plattekill is a rural town of roughly 10,424 residents spread across 35.7 square miles in southeastern Ulster County, bordering Orange County, encompassing hamlets including Clintondale, Modena, and Plattekill. Milton Turnpike, also known as Ulster County Route 10, dates back to the early 1800s, when it was built as a produce transport route connecting local farms to Hudson River steamboat docks.
