Ty Kobelt, 33, of Gardiner, NY pleaded guilty in Ulster County Court on September 18, 2024 before Judge Bryan Rounds to the charges of Manslaughter in the Second Degree and Leaving the Scene of an Incident without Reporting, stemming from a fatal hit-and-run resulting in the death of 22-year-old SUNY New Paltz student, Raymond Rattray, in January of this year. Kobelt was remanded without bail to the Ulster County Jail following his plea of guilty; his sentencing is scheduled for December 19, 2024.

The Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, New York State Police Collision Reconstruction and Forensic Investigation Units, and New Paltz Police began investigating Rattray’s death on January 24th after his body was discovered off the roadway by an individual walking along Route 208 in the Town of New Paltz. His mother had reported him as a missing person to the Town of New Paltz Police just hours before the discovery. The ensuing extensive investigation determined that Raymond Rattray had been walking on Route 208 on January 23rd when he was struck by a 2018 Honda Accord operated by Ty Kobelt. Detectives were able to identify and locate the vehicle within the first fifteen hours of the investigation. Additionally, it appeared that Ty Kobelt had taken steps to conceal the damage to his vehicle. The investigation further showed that Kobelt had consumed cannabis shortly before driving the vehicle, and was additionally on his cell phone at the time when his car struck the victim.