AG's office investigating fatal shooting of driver by state trooper in Sullivan County

THOMPSON - New York State Attorney General Letitia James' office is investigating the fatal shooting of a driver by a state trooper during a pursuit Tuesday morning in Sullivan County.

According to state police, troopers were involved in a vehicle pursuit on Rock Hill Drive in the town of Thompson in Sullivan County at approximately 2:20 a.m. Tuesday.

The driver of the vehicle, Albert Melendez, 32, of Middletown, stopped and tried to turn around at the intersection of Rock Hill Drive and Emerald Place.

State police said a trooper got out of his patrol vehicle and gave verbal commands for Melendez to stop his vehicle.

Melendez's vehicle continued to move forward and made contact with the trooper, who then discharged his duty weapon, striking Melendez.

Troopers gave emergency medical care to Melendez, who was then transported to Garnet Health Medical Center, where he died. State police did not specify whether he was transported to the Garnet campus in Middletown or the one in Harris in Sullivan County.

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The trooper also was treated at Garnet Health Medical Center for minor injuries and then released.

The shooting is under investigation by the state Attorney General's office, with the assistance of state police.

State police did not say why they were pursuing Melendez.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.