MONTICELLO – An investigation remains ongoing into the death of a Monticello pedestrian who was struck by an off-duty Village police officer late last month, according to Police Chief David Lindsay.

Lindsay said the incident occurred around 6 p.m. on November 25 while it was raining. The off-duty officer was driving his personal vehicle when he collided with a pedestrian mid-block between High Street and Smith Street.

The pedestrian was transported to a local hospital and later died on November 30.

Due to the involvement of a Monticello police officer, Lindsay said the department immediately referred the investigation to the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office in order to avoid any potential bias.

“Even prior to it becoming a fatal accident, because it involved one of our off-duty officers, Monticello immediately turned the investigation over to the Sheriff’s Office,” Lindsay told the Democrat.

Following the pedestrian’s death, the case was then referred to the New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation, as required under state law whenever a police or peace officer may have caused a death by an act or omission.

Lindsay said he has not received any updates on the status of the investigation.

“Once the pedestrian passed away five days later, it was turned over to the Attorney General’s Office,” he said. “I have no update on the investigation at all. Again, just to avoid any bias, I’m completely left out of the loop.”

The officer involved in the incident was terminated by the Monticello Village Board on December 4. Lindsay said the decision was made by the board and not by the police department, noting that he does not have the authority to hire or fire officers.

As of presstime, no additional information has been released by the Attorney General’s Office, and the investigation remains active.