Newburgh man who claimed to be state trooper pleads guilty to hate crime in road rage incident
NEWBURGH, N.Y. -- A man accused in a racist road rage incident in Newburgh pleaded guilty Friday to a hate crime.
In June, 61-year-old William Ryan claimed to be an off-duty trooper and threatened a Black pastor and his son with a knife and yelled racial slurs at them.
READ MORE: Newburgh man claiming to be state trooper arrested after allegedly yelling racist remarks at pastor
The pastor, who is also a lieutenant with the Wallkill Police Department, recorded the incident.
The Orange County District Attorney reportedly will recommend Ryan get six months in jail when he is sentenced in November.
