Police say a terrifying attack played out in Dutchess County on Monday when a woman was targeted by a man with a knife.

On February 6 just before 7 pm, police received a call from a woman who said she had been the victim of a brutal attempted robbery. The story she told would terrify any parent.

According to the woman, she was sitting in a parked vehicle with two children aged three and five when the incident occurred. The car was parked not far from Marist College on Spruce Street. Police say their investigation revealed that an unknown suspect approached the vehicle and showed the woman a knife.

He told her that he was going to get inside the vehicle and that she needed to do what he said or he "would hurt her babies."

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After entering the woman's car, the stranger allegedly instructed her to drive to a store in the City of Poughkeepsie. Police say the man then told the woman to go into the store and withdraw money from her bank account while he waited inside the vehicle with the children, still brandishing a knife.

After complying with his demands, the woman returned to the car with the money. That's when she says he forced her to drive to a second location at knifepoint. After arriving at the destination, the victim began crying, which enraged the alleged attacker, causing him to begin screaming at her.

The altercation began to attract the attention of people passing by, which caused the stranger to quickly flee the vehicle, leaving the victims and money behind.

While investigating the crime, City of Poughkeepsie police say they identified the suspect as Derrick Woodhouse, a 49-year-old man from Poughkeepsie with four violent felony convictions.

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Woodhouse was arrested and charged with Kidnapping in the second degree, a class B felony, Attempted Robbery in the first degree, a class C felony and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor.

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Police are asking witnesses to come forward with any information they may have about this incident or the possibility that Woodhouse had attempted similar incidents before. Statements can be made to the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department by calling 845 451-7577.

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16 Of New York State's Most Wanted Criminals- February 2023

Below are individuals wanted by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision's (DOCCS) Office of Special Investigations who have been designated as its Most Wanted Fugitives. They should be considered armed and dangerous. This list is current as of 1/31/2023:

NEVER attempt to apprehend a fugitive yourself. If you have information on the location of any of these fugitives, you can contact OSI 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to report it. All leads and tips are treated as confidential information.

If an immediate response is necessary, such as you see the wanted person at a location, please call “911” and report it to the police.

 

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