A police officer from a New York town was killed in a crash on the Taconic State Parkway after leaving the scene of another crash that had been under investigation, according to police.
The officer from the East Fishkill Police Department was looking into a crash that occurred near the town's police station on Monday, and was en route to the hospital to speak with a victim of that crash, police said.
While driving south near mile marker 36.2 on the Taconic just after 6 p.m., the officer's vehicle left the roadway and slammed into a tree. It was not immediately clear what caused the vehicle to leave the roadway.
The officer, the only person in the vehicle at the time of the crash, was taken to Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital where he later died. The officer was later identified as Dan DiDato, whom the department described as a "dedicated and courageous member" of the force who "exemplified the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and commitment to serving and protecting our community."
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An investigation into the officer's deadly crash is ongoing.
