Dutchess County, NY – A police cruiser crashed into a stopped vehicle on Route 199 near the intersection of Lake Road and Stissing Mountain Road on July 6.

Officer Brian Johnson, a recent police academy graduate still in his department-mandated field training program, was driving patrol vehicle 7K165 westbound with Officer Aaron Fantroy as a passenger when the collision occurred.

George Hill of Pine Plains had stopped his Lincoln in the westbound lane while waiting for oncoming traffic to clear before turning left into his driveway.

Johnson told investigators he was looking toward the right shoulder of the road and did not realize Hill’s vehicle had stopped until the final moment. The patrol car then struck the Lincoln from behind, damaging both vehicles.

Dash camera footage reviewed by the New York State Police and Pine Plains Police confirmed Hill’s brake lights and left turn signal were clearly visible before the crash.

Pine Plains Police leadership requested that the New York State Police take over the crash investigation and also launched an internal administrative review.

Investigators determined Johnson was not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and found no evidence that he was distracted by a cellphone or the in-car laptop before the collision. The investigation concluded the crash was non-criminal, with driver inattentiveness identified as the main contributing factor.

Hill initially declined medical treatment at the scene. Both officers were evaluated and transported to Northern Dutchess Hospital. Johnson was treated for minor injuries and released that evening, while Fantroy suffered more serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was later released to recover at home.

During the investigation, Officer Johnson voluntarily resigned from his position.

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