Dover, New York – A multi-county police pursuit ended early Wednesday after deputies located a stolen vehicle stuck along Route 22, leading to felony drug and theft charges.
According to the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were alerted during the early morning hours of Wednesday to a vehicle pursuit involving police agencies from Westchester and Putnam counties. The pursuit was discontinued in southern Dutchess County, near the Pawling area, after officers lost visual contact.
Just before 1 a.m., a deputy located a vehicle matching the provided description stuck in a snowbank on Route 22 in the Town of Dover, authorities said. The operator was identified as Julio Pineda, 46, of West New York, New Jersey.
Further investigation allegedly led deputies to discover a suspected controlled substance inside the vehicle. Authorities also determined the vehicle had been reported stolen out of New Jersey, according to the sheriff’s office.
Pineda was taken into custody at the scene without further incident.
He has been charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the third and fourth degrees, both felonies, as well as Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, authorities said.
After processing, Pineda was released on appearance tickets and is scheduled to reappear in Town of Dover Court at a later date.
The sheriff’s office noted that the pursuit initially involved multiple jurisdictions before ending in Dutchess County, highlighting the role of inter-county coordination during overnight enforcement operations that often impact early-morning commuters.
As with all criminal matters, the charges are allegations, and Pineda is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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