Sentencing for Retired Cop Driving Drunk in Fatal Crash

PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — On Wednesday, retired police officer Richard O'Keefe was officially sentenced to one year in jail and revocation of his license. He had pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide, a class E felony, back in February. He reported to the Putnam County Jail in January when a plea deal was made.

O'Keefe was driving drunk at the time of a fatal crash on Route 6 in 2015 that killed a beloved Somers teaching assistant. The reduced charge was expected to carry a sentence of one year in county jail.

The plea deal also included revocation of his driver's license, and an agreement not to reapply for a license for a year after his release, according to Tap Into Mahopac.

The well-known retired police officer was originally charged with Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a Class B Felony, Vehicular Manslaughter in the 2nd Degree, a Class D Felony, and Driving While Intoxicated, an Unclassified Misdemeanor.

The Mahopac resident was arrested Nov. 15, the day after the nighttime crash in Carmel. State police assistance was requested by the Carmel Police Department who had made the initial response.

Part of the tragedy was that O'Keefe was not the sole cause of the crash, according to police reconstruction of the accident.

Police said Anna Estrada, 53, of Carmel, exited a parking area to make a left-hand turn onto Route 6 south. Estrada failed to yield the right of way to the Dodge Caravan driven by Richard O’Keefe, who was traveling north on Route 6.

O’Keefe’s minivan subsequently struck the Jeep on the driver’s side, causing it to overturn. Frances Ghelarducci of Mahopac was a passenger in Estrada's SUV. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A third vehicle, operated southbound by Philip Kossin of Mahopac, was also struck as a result of the crash. Kossin was not injured.

Putnam County District Attorney Bob Tendy said reconstruction of the accident showed that O’Keefe was speeding—between 52 and 58 mph — and had a blood-alcohol content of 0.247, TapIntoMahopac reported.

O’Keefe, a retired Carmel police officer, has served on the Mahopac Board of Education and the Carmel Town Board. At the time of the crash, his sister served on the town board and his brother-in-law was the town supervisor, according to The Journal News.