Rockland Man Arrested After Police Chase, Collision With School Bus

STONY POINT, NY — A Haverstraw man faces multiple charges after trying to evade police Tuesday on route 9W.

At 1:46 p.m. an officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle southbound on Route 9W with no front plate and no registration sticker affixed to the front windshield and stopped it.

While the officer was approaching, the driver pulled away and fled south toward Haverstraw, driving recklessly, passing several red traffic lights, overtaking vehicles in the middle lane, and driving at a high rate of speed. The officer broadcast the information over the police radio and stopped the pursuit.

A short time later, at the intersection of Route 9W and Railroad Avenue, the fleeing vehicle sideswiped a car and then collided with a full-size school bus. The driver got out and ran away.

He was eventually apprehended by officers and identified as Israel Figueroa Rivera, 58. He had cocaine in his possession and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics, police said.

The school bus was occupied only by the driver. Patch reached out to police about the driver's condition but had not heard back before this was published.

Rivera was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and fifth-degree criminal possession with intent to sell, both felonies; reckless endangerment, criminal possession of stolen property, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration, and driving while impaired by drugs, all misdemeanors. Several traffic tickets were issued as well.

He was processed, arraigned, and remanded to the Rockland County Jail based on his four prior felony convictions. He is due back in Stony Point Justice Court May 2.