Drunk Driver Accused of Confronting Victim, Threatening Cop, Shoplifting Sunglasses

PEARL RIVER, NY — A Rockland County businessman who caused a drunken-driving car crash in Clarkstown that nearly killed several people, pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating the terms of his probation. Matthew Beckerle could do prison time for a series of bizarre incidents that took place right after he finished serving four months of his six-month jail sentence for the crash.

In February, Beckerle allegedly approached one of his victims from the 2015 crash and told her it was partially her fault, the Rockland County Times reported. Police were called.

The 50-year-old also was accused of shoplifting on Feb. 16 at the Kohl's in Nanuet. According to the Clarkstown Police Department report, he allegedly took a pair of Madden NYC sunglasses and hid them inside a work glove. He was charged with petty larceny and possession of stolen property.

Then on Feb. 22, the Pearl River resident was seen again in the victim's neighborhood, and police were called. He was at a neighbor's house, looking in a window, according to the police report. An officer spoke to Beckerle, telling him he was at the wrong house and that neither the homeowner nor the victim wanted to have contact with him. Beckerle threatened to cut the officer with a knife. Beckerle was charged with menacing, assault, trespass and harassment.

The Rockland County Department of Probation filed a violation of probation petition on Feb 23.

Beckerle pleaded guilty Tuesday to violating the terms and conditions of his probation. He will be sentenced Sept. 12, 2017. He remains in custody in the Rockland County correctional facility.

The new sentence could be 1-3 years in state prison for the incidents that led to the arrests and for not reporting the arrests to his probation officer.

To summarize the original incident that put him in jail: Beckerle was southbound on Route 304 June 13, 2015, doing about 90 mph in a family lumber truck, when he rear-ended a vehicle with two occupants. He then swerved into the northbound lanes of Route 304 and crashed head on into another vehicle with three occupants. Both vehicles were totaled due to the force of impact, prosecutors said. The occupants of both vehicles all suffered serious injury.

He got a plea deal.

The original charges brought by the Rockland County District Attorney:

• Vehicular Assault in 1st Degree,
• Vehicular Assault in the 2nd Degree (4 Counts)
• Assault in the 2nd Degree (4 Counts),
• Assault in the 3rd Degree (5 Counts)
• Driving While Intoxicated

Beckerle pleaded guilty to one felony charge of vehicular assault.

SEE:

• Pearl River Man Indicted on 16 Counts Over 3-Car Crash
  
• Beckerle Sentenced to 6 Months Over Near-Lethal DWI