Newburgh traffic stop sparks countywide chase, Walden man accused

A Newburgh traffic stop for a Jeep Liberty turned into a fast-moving Orange County pursuit that ended with a Walden man accused of abandoning the vehicle on Interstate 84 and fleeing through several communities.

City of Newburgh police tried to stop the Jeep on Monday, May 11, 2026, during traffic enforcement for vehicle and traffic violations, authorities said. The driver allegedly took off, leading officers into the Town of Montgomery before the chase was terminated. A short time later, Orange County 911 began receiving reports of an abandoned vehicle on I-84, and New York State Police determined it was the same Jeep involved in the earlier pursuit.

Authorities identified the driver as 59-year-old Dino Macaluso of Walden. News 12 reported that Macaluso was allegedly driving without a valid license, putting him behind the wheel in a case that escalated well beyond a routine stop. Viewer video showed a New York State Police helicopter searching for the suspect while traffic was stopped on I-84, a scene that underscored the risk to commuters and the strain on law enforcement across the corridor.

Newburgh police charged Macaluso with third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer, reckless driving, second-degree reckless endangerment, aggravated unlicensed operation and second-degree obstructing governmental administration. State Police separately charged him with first-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer and second-degree obstructing governmental administration.

The route of the chase stretched from Newburgh streets into Montgomery and then onto one of Orange County’s busiest highways, turning a traffic-enforcement stop into a multi-agency public-safety response. The City of Newburgh Police Department says it is responsible for enforcing New York State and city laws, and this case showed how quickly that duty can expand when a driver refuses to stop and keeps going through the county.