DWI/MVA City of Poughkeepsie Police Officer in ICU

[RWC130 594]

Saturday, July 29, 2006

Police Officer critical after alleged DWI accident

A veteran City of Poughkeepsie police officer was in critical condition Friday after his patrol car was slammed into by an alleged drunken driver, city police said.

Police Officer Richard Poluzzi, a 33-year member of the department, was on routine patrol at about 4 a.m. Friday when he drove through the intersection of North Bridge and Mill streets. It was then, police said, that a Wappingers Falls man went through a red light at the intersection, striking the police car. Miguel Mojica's pickup truck went out of control and hit the building at 195 Mill St., while Poluzzi's patrol car wound up on the sidewalk between 191 and 193 Mill St., police said.

Poluzzi was admitted to Saint Francis Hospital, where he was in intensive care Friday afternoon with a head injury. Mojica, 30, also was hurt and was taken to Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office and New York State Police assisted in the investigation to avoid any conflict of interest, city police said. Mojica was charged with second-degree vehicular assault, a felony, misdemeanor driving while intoxicated and traffic violations. He was arraigned at Vassar Brothers and is being held on $15,000 cash bail.

Edited July 29, 2006 by RWC130

[Guest]

I heard about this at work Friday morning. Very sad, espically living in the area for the majority of the year. God bless and my all my prayers for a speedy recovery.

[BFD1054 1,552]

What a P.O.S. (the DWI driver) this guy is! Just another example of how anything can happen at any time. This officer was doing his job, the same job his has done for over 30 years, and this a-hole puts him in ICU!

I hope that this guy receives the fullest extent of punishment for what he was charged with. The vehicular assault is a big one, but unfortunately DWI is only a misdemeanor, unless you have priors.

May this sorry SOB face some hard time for what he has done!

More importantly, may Officer Poluzzi make a full and speedy recovery. My thoughts and prayers will be with him and the PPD.