Police Arrest 2 After Chase, Crash With School Bus

DUTCHESS COUNTY, NY — Two Bronx residents are under arrest after a police chase that ended in a crash with a mini school bus and closed Route 9 for hours in Wappinger.

It started at 4:25 p.m. Friday when Fishkill village police responding to a reported robbery at Key Bank pursued a BMW north on Route 9. The BMW struck the mini bus in Wappinger and careened off the road into a ditch, police said.

The mini bus then slammed into the back of another BMW, News 12 reported. Route 9 was closed for hours during investigation and clean-up.

All the occupants of the bus and the BMW were treated at local hospitals for minor injuries and released, police said.

The driver of the BMW, Destiny M. Smith, 28, faces charges of fifth-degree conspiracy, second-degree reckless endangerment, and third-degree fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors. Her passenger, Jomo J. Cole, 30, faces a charge of fifth-degree conspiracy.

Both were issued appearance tickets to return to Wappinger Town Court Aug. 22 and released.

State police said information about the ongoing investigation will be updated.