Arrest Made in December 2025 Fatal Collision Investigation in Dutchess County

Last month law enforcement and emergency response units were required in Dutchess County, following a collision between two vehicles in an area of Hyde Park. The accident resulted in one of the drivers sustaining severe injuries, which they would later succumb to and pass away. Since then, law enforcement has been investigating the incident, and just recently it was announced that an arrest has been made.

Fatal Hyde Park Collision

The fatal collision occurred during the later afternoon hours of Sunday, December 14, 2025. Members of the Town of Hyde Park Police Department
responded to the scene of the head-on collision in the area of State Route 9 and Huyler Drive, at approximately 4:21p.m.

The accident involved a 2014 Ford F-150 pickup truck, operated by 46-year old, Richard Charles Rider, from Hyde Park, and a 2010 Honda Accord was operated by 28-year old,  Alijah M. Johnson, also from Hyde Park. A preliminary investigation was conducted by investigators, and that investigation determined that Rider was traveling northbound on State Route 9 when he crossed over the double yellow center line and struck Johnson, who was traveling southbound.

Johnson was critically injured in the collision and his injuries would result in his unfortunate death. In the time since, law enforcement has made more discoveries which have now led to the arrest of the 46-year old, Rider.

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Fatal Collision Arrest and Charges

The Town of Hyde Park Police Department made their notice of Rider's arrest yesterday with a post on their official Facebook page. The post states that Rider was arrested at his residence and taken into police custody at approximately 7:29a.m., on January 29, 2026. From there, he was transported to the Hyde Park Police Department, and charged with multiple offenses.

According to the post, Rider was charged with Vehicular manslaughter (previously convicted of DWI) in the 1st Degree, Driving While Impaired by Drugs, and failure to keep right. Rider was later arraigned in the Hyde Park Justice Court by the Honorable Michael Plass and remanded to the Dutchess County Jail on $500,000 cash, $1,000,000 bond, or $2,000,000 partially secured bond with 10% cash. He is scheduled to be back in court on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, at 3:30 p.m., and has also officially had his drivers license suspended.

This is also apparently far from Rider's first time driving under the influence. According to the provided information, this was Rider's sixth (6th) arrest for
driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The toxicology results from Rider’s blood sample led to their learning of his inebriation, and to his arrest and being charged.

Previous Stories: Two Vehicle Collison Results in Fatality in Ulster County

The post concluded with thanks from the Hyde Park PD to all the agencies involved in the investigation, which included the Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit, the New York State Police Laboratory, the New York State Police Community Stabilization Unit (CSU), and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.