Man accused of violent hate crime against Black, off-duty officer wanted on bench warrant
William Ryan was caught on cellphone video holding a box cutter at the passenger side window of Wallkill Police Lt. Robert McLymore during a road rage incident on June 14, 2022, in the City of Newburgh.
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A man accused of a violent hate crime against a Black, off-duty officer is now wanted on a bench warrant for allegedly failing to appear in Orange County Court since April.
William Ryan was caught on cellphone video holding a box cutter at the passenger side window of Wallkill Police Lt. Robert McLymore during a road rage incident on June 14, 2022, in the City of Newburgh.
The 62-year-old is heard during the incident falsely claiming to be a New York state trooper and referring to McLymore, who also had his teenage son in the car, using a derogatory racial slur.
McLymore is a local pastor who was headed to church during the incident. Since the incident, he has become a candidate for councilman-at-large in the City of Newburgh.
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City of Newburgh police charged Ryan with menacing as a hate crime, a felony. He was indicted and remained free without bail during the court proceedings.
Ryan was supposed to be sentenced in March under a negotiated plea deal. News 12 was in court when the case took a turn, however, after he showed up five hours late, claiming to have an upset stomach, and the judge took the plea deal off the table.
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office tells News 12 that Ryan has since failed to appear in court, and a bench warrant for his arrest has been issued.
