The Otsego County Sheriff's Office is asking for prayers for Deputy James Mateunas and his family.
UPDATE - 21 May 2019 Suspect dead, Sheriff's Deputy injured after pursuit
NEW YORK STATE POLICE Major Brian Shortall Troop C Commander
PRESS RELEASE
One person is dead and an Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy is recovering at a local hospital after a pursuit in the village of Richfield Springs and the town of Springfield.
Just after 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2019 members from the New York State Police at Richfield Springs approached a subject in a vehicle who had been accused of harassing then threatening a victim with a knife. The suspect fled from troopers and a pursuit ensued traveling east on State Route 20.
As the subject approached the intersection of State Routes 20 and 80, an Otsego County Sheriff’s Deputy was stationary in his vehicle facing west and monitoring the pursuit with his emergency lights activated. For an unknown reason, the subject crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the Deputy head-on .
The Deputy was transported to Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown, NY with serious but non-life threating injuries, he was coherent at the scene. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene by Otsego County Corner Michael Fox.
The investigation is on-going. Deputy James Mateunas was rushed to Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, following a head-on crash at approximately 3:00pm, near the intersection of Route 20 and Route 80 in the town of Springfield. The condition of the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash is unknown, but Deputy Mateunas was taken into surgery for injuries to his legs. HE received several broken bones in his lower extremities, and is now listed in stable condition.
While police and rescue crews are investigating the accident, the intersection will be closed until further notice.