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Matthew Ryder, Retired Orangetown PD Detective, Named Director of Rockland County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force

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NEW CITY, NY – Rockland County District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh II announced retired Orangetown Police Detective Matthew Ryder as the new Director of the Rockland County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force. Director Ryder brings more than thirty years of law enforcement and narcotics investigative experience to his new position. He will be tasked with combating the deadly opioid epidemic that has killed over 100 Rockland residents in the past two years.

Ryder started his law enforcement career with the Nyack Police department in 1990 and after the disbandment of that agency, he was hired by the Orangetown Police Department in 1991. He has distinguished himself as an extremely well-respected detective and has received numerous awards and commendations for his outstanding police work and investigations. For the past five years he was assigned to the DEA Task Force in the Hudson Valley Region. While assigned there, he supervised numerous large scale drug investigations and built a rapport with local, state and federal agencies in our area. Those relationships will be an essential part of his new assignment and to our common goal to work together with multiple agencies in order to expand the size and scope of narcotic investigations.

The Rockland County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force is an investigative narcotics unit that consists of investigators of the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, participating Rockland police departments and an agent from the Department of Homeland Security.

District Attorney Thomas E. Walsh, II. said, “I’m so pleased to announce the hiring of Matt Ryder as the new director of the Drug Task Force. Matt brings experience, knowledge and respect that will enable him to work with law enforcement and the community.  He is a leader committed to serving the residents of Rockland County and the communities impacted by drugs in their neighborhoods. He will lead our multi-agency unit to fight against the opioid epidemic that plagues our county. “

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Victor Romero Indicted on Second-Degree Murder Charge in Koran Irvine Shooting

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A grand jury in Lower Manhattan indicted former NYPD detective Victor Romero on a second-degree murder charge Tuesday afternoon, upgrading the charge from manslaughter as the investigation into a fatal shooting continues.

Romero, a Haverstraw resident, was seen publicly for the first time Tuesday as he arrived at a Lower Manhattan courthouse in connection with the fatal shooting of Koran Irvine on the George Washington Bridge. He later left the courthouse following a brief court appearance.

The indictment marks a significant development in the case against Romero, who was initially charged with murder before being arraigned last week on a reduced charge of first-degree manslaughter.

Romero posted $1 million bail and remains free while the case proceeds through the court system.

Source: ABC 7 NY

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Crime

Haverstraw Police Officer Run Over During Pursuit; 3 Officers Injured

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October 26, 2026 — Three Haverstraw police officers were injured after a suspect allegedly struck and ran over an officer while fleeing police during a response to a reported attempted break-in on October 23, according to the Haverstraw Police Department.

Police said officers responded to a residence in the Village of Haverstraw at approximately 4:41 p.m. for a report of a disorderly male attempting to break into a residence.

Responding officers located a vehicle matching the description provided. As officers gave the driver verbal commands to exit the vehicle, the suspect allegedly accelerated directly toward an officer, striking and running over the officer before fleeing the scene.

The suspect then led officers on a pursuit southbound along Route 9W into Clarkstown before turning northbound toward Haverstraw, police said.

The pursuit ended after the suspect allegedly crashed into a Haverstraw Police Department vehicle occupied by police personnel. The suspect was subsequently taken into custody.

Three Haverstraw police officers were transported to local hospitals for treatment of injuries sustained during the incident. The suspect, identified as Isaac Catedral, 24, of Haverstraw, was also transported to a local hospital for medical evaluation.

Suspect Faces Multiple Charges

According to police, Catedral faces the following charges:

  • Aggravated Attempted Murder
  • Assault in the Second Degree
  • Assault in the Third Degree
  • Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree
  • Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Seventh Degree
  • Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree

Catedral was arraigned on the morning of October 26 in the Village of Haverstraw Justice Court and remanded to the Rockland County Correctional Facility.

Multiple Agencies Assist

The Haverstraw Police Department received assistance from the Stony Point Police Department, Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, Clarkstown Police Department, New York State Police, and Ramapo Police Department.

The incident remains a serious reminder of the dangers police officers face while responding to emergency calls and attempting to apprehend suspects.

Legal Notice: A criminal complaint is an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

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