Alleged car thief caught after crashing vehicle

On Tuesday, February 25, Edward Keegan, 34, of Chester, was arraigned in Orange County Court after being charged with two counts of robbery in the second degree, assault in the second degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree and unlawful imprisonment in the second degree, for a “carjacking” that allegedly took place on the afternoon of February 21 at the Chester Mall.

According to a statement issued by Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler’s office, after a woman went into a store in the shopping center, leaving her mother in the front passenger seat, Keenan allegedly entered the car and attempted to drive it away. The mother tried to stop Keenan from stealing the car, and Keenan allegedly repeatedly struck her in the leg. The woman who had gone into the store then attempted to stop Keenan from driving away in the car with her mother by standing in front of the car. Keenan allegedly drove the car at the woman, hitting and injuring her. The mother was able to get out of the car before Keenan drove away.

Chester Town Police Officer Michael Dunlop, along with K9 Lou and Det. Lee Slaughter, responded to assist the Village of Chester Police Department after a panic alarm was triggered at Liquor King. They quickly learned that the alarm had been activated to summon assistance for the stolen vehicle.

The Chester police said Dunlop immediately began to canvass the area for a stolen white Nissan Sentra. Less than a half hour later, he located the stolen Nissan travelling on Main Street towards Brookside Avenue. The driver “proceeded through a stop sign at a high rate of speed without stopping” and Dunlop activated the emergency lights on his marked patrol vehicle to stop the car, the Chester police report explained. The driver kept going eastbound on Route 17M and then entered Route 17 at Exit 127. The driver ended up crashing into the median a few miles later in the town of Monroe.

The driver, who was later identified as Keenan, was taken into custody by Dunlop and charged in Chester Town Court. He was later turned over to the Chester Village PD for further charges and processing.

He was later arraigned before the Honorable Craig Stephen Brown on the indictment and remanded to Orange County Jail in lieu of bail set at $100,000 cash, a $200,000 secured bond, or a $400,000 partially secured bond. Keenan is next scheduled for a conference in County Court on March 25, 2025.