Hudson Valley Man Accused In Fatal Hit-And-Run Of College Student

NEW PALTZ, NY — A Gardiner man was accused of striking and killing a SUNY New Paltz student in January.

The Ulster County District Attorney’s Office and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that Ty Kobelt, 33, of Gardiner, was arrested and charged with second-degree manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death, all felonies.

Prosecutors said Kobelt left the scene after striking and killing SUNY New Paltz student Raymond Rattray Jan. 23.

A warrant of arrest was issued by the Ulster County Court. Ulster County Sheriff’s Office detectives located and arrested Kobelt near his home Friday.

The sheriff’s office, district attorney’s office, New York State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Investigation Unit and New Paltz police began investigating Rattray’s death Jan. 24 after he was found off the roadway by a person walking along Route 208 in the town of New Paltz.

His mother reported him missing to the New Paltz town police just hours before his body was discovered.

The investigation determined Rattray had been walking on Route 208 on Jan, 23 when he was struck by a 2018 Honda Accord driven by Kobelt, police said.

Detectives were able to identify and locate the car within the first 15 hours of the investigation.

Additionally, police said Kobelt had taken steps to conceal the damage to his car.

He was arraigned March 25 and sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $250,000 cash bail, $500,000 bond or $750,000 partially secured bond as requested and recommended by the district attorney’s office.

Kobelt is scheduled to appear back in Ulster County Court at a future date.

Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa said this was a tragic event for the SUNY New Paltz community and the county.

“The carelessness shown to human life in several recent fatal hit-and-run accidents this year is unprecedented,” he said. “This cannot be tolerated for a civilized society.”