EXCLUSIVE: State Trooper from New Hartford Arrested in May on DWI-Related Charges

UPDATE:  07122022  2039  WIBX asked the New York State Police for additional comments following the original posting.  A spokesperson for the New York State Police said that he is unable to comment at this time because the case is currently being reviewed by the NYSP's Professional Standards Bureau.

Investigator Jones is currently out on administrative leave pending an investigation.

The NYSP clarified that the incident about which WIBX had originally inquired was alleged to have taken place this past weekend.  After additional query, the NYSP sent the release regarding the May incident, but said no such incident took place in July.

Original Story:

New York State Police arrested one of their own back in May after an alleged DWI accident, and the story is now just being made public after it was exposed during an Upstate New York morning radio show.

New York State Police arrested 52-year-old James E. Jones, of New Hartford, NY for Aggravated DWI, an unclassified misdemeanor, and Failure to Keep Right, a violation, following an accident that occurred back on May 22, police say.

The arrest had not been previously reported, but an anonymous letter left for the staff of WIBX's morning show just before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, accused WIBX's morning show host, Bill Keeler, of covering up the story.

"Ask Keeler why he's covering up the fact that a New York State Trooper was arrested for DUI after driving through peoples [sic] yards and crashing his vehicle. Drunk as a skunk. If that was you or I it would be all over the news. Typical double standard. Keeler is a part of the cover up." -Dean S

Keeler read the letter on the air on Tuesday and asked listeners if they had any knowledge of the letter or the incident. A handful of callers responded with information that included the date, the location of Walker Rd. in Deerfield, and the name of the Trooper. One listener also said he would send photos of the damage to his yard, and a knocked down utility pole which he says the vehicle smashed into.

WIBX News reached out to NYSP, which at the time said there was no information about a case such as the one being reported.  Police responded that they had no information about such an incident.

Later in the afternoon on Tuesday, however, NYSP issued a press release with details of the accident, which they say actually occurred back in May.

"Jones was arrested following a property damage crash that occurred on May 22nd at 5574 Walker Road in the town of Deerfield.  During the investigation into the crash," the release stated, "Troopers determined that Jones appeared intoxicated."  In the written release police say he was subsequently arrested and issued an appearance ticket to appear in the Town of Deerfield Court at a later date.

Get our free mobile app

According to the police report, Jones, who is an investigator with the New York State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation, was off-duty and driving his privately owned vehicle when the crash occurred.

WIBX's Keeler says he was unaware of the accident until he read the "Dean S" note and listeners began calling in verifying the fact that there was indeed an accident involving a Trooper. Keeler says he does not know Trooper Jones.

WIBX has asked the New York State Police for additional comment on the matter.