Fatal Stabbing In Wallkill Leads To Manslaughter Charge

WALLKILL, NY — A Middletown man who was accused of killed a 74-year-old man during a road rage incident avoided a murder charge related to the stabbing of 74-year-old Joel Laddy of Wallkill.

Horace Duke, 22, of Middletown, was indicted Thursday with first-degree manslaughter, a felony, and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon, the Times Herald-Record reported.

Michael Sussman, who is Duke’s attorney, maintained that Laddy smashed his car into Duke’s vehicle and threw the first punch, and there are witnesses who can back up that account.

The incident happened around 9:45 a.m. Oct. 20 in front of an Exxon gas station on Route 302, according to police.

Laddy was found with at least one stab wound and was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Duke was taken into custody nearby on Route 302 and was initially charged with murder. Prosecutors were calling the stabbing a result of road rage.