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Pawling Man Charged In Fatal Route 22 Crash Used Morphine, Police Say

A 44-year-old Dutchess County man police say was under the influence of morphine has been charged with vehicular homicide and a host of other felonies more than two years after a two-car crash on Route 22 in Putnam in which a Carmel woman was killed.

Christopher C. Osborne, Jr., of Pawling

Christopher C. Osborne, Jr., of Pawling

Photo Credit: New York State Police

The crash occurred just north of Route 311 on April 29, 2015 at approximately 3:55 p.m.

A 2003 GMC pickup truck, operated by Christopher C. Osborne Jr. of Pawling, was traveling northbound on Route 22 in Patterson. A 2015 Subaru Forester, operated by Mario L. Riccobon, then age 65, of Carmel, was traveling southbound. An investigation revealed that Osborne crossed over the double yellow lines into the southbound lane and struck the Subaru head on, state police said. 

A passenger in the Subaru, 63-year-old Jean Riccobon of Carmel, was pronounced dead at the scene by Transcare Ambulance. Riccobon was transported to Danbury Hospital with serious injuries.

Osborne was evaluated by a Drug Recognition Expert following the crash and a blood test determined he had been under the influence of morphine at the time of the collision, state police said.

Osborne turned himself into police on Monday, Aug. 7 and was arraigned before Putnam County Court Judge James Reitz. 

Under an indictment filed on July 31, 2017, Osborne is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated criminally negligent homicide, manslaughter in the second degree, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault in the first degree, vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, assault in the second degree, and vehicular assault in the second degree, all felonies.

Osborne was remanded to Putnam County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail or bond.  

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