Manslaughter Suspect Fined $8M for Illegal Dumping

A suspect in the 2022 death of a Saugerties man has now been ordered to pay $8 for illegally dumping in the Hudson Valley.

Joseph and Rachel Karolys have been ordered to pay the hefty fine after the couple agreed to a plea deal. The Karolyses own three properties where authorities say they disposed of construction debris in violation of New York's solid waste and water pollution laws.

Illegal Dumping Suspect Becomes Manslaughter Suspect

Legal proceedings against Karolys began in June of 2020 after investigators uncovered evidence that he and his wife were bringing waste from New York City and illegally dumping it.

While the case was being made against Joseph Karolys, an incident occurred in 2022 that made illegal dumping the least of his concerns.

In the early morning of October 29, 2022, the Saugerties Police Department responded to a report of an unconscious man lying on the side of Route 32 in the Town of Saugerties. It wasn't until over a year later that Karolys and his 17-year-old son were announced as suspects in the man's death.

Incident Ends in Death of David “Mickey” Myer

According to prosecutors, David Myer was celebrating his birthday by visiting several neighborhood bars when he decided he was too intoxicated to drive himself home. Karolys allegedly arranged to call his son to drive the two of them and another person home from the bar.

It's unclear what happened on the ride home, but Meyer was later discovered severely injured and bloodied on the side of the road. Prosecutors believe Myer was somehow physically assaulted after leaving the bar and left to die. Karolys and his son were accused of attempting to cover up whatever happened on the ride home by cleaning blood from their vehicle.

Karolys is charged with manslaughter, assault and tampering with physical evidence, which are all felonies. He was remanded to jail while his son was sent to a juvenile detention facility to await their trial. In December, Karolys was denied bail for the third time.

8 Million Dollar Judgement Against Karolys

On Thursday, Joseph Karolys and his wife, Rachel, agreed to an $8 million settlement for illegal dumping in Saugerties. During the proceedings, Attorney General Leticia James discussed the "serious nature of the Karolyses' actions and their negative impact on the Saugerties community".