Off-duty NYPD officer in critical condition after NYS Thruway accident

An off-duty NYPD officer is in critical condition after he rear-ended a car on I-87 north of Sloatsburg in Rockland County on Sunday evening, state police said.

The officer, 32-year-old Alexis Penate, was driving north on I-87 in a Jeep Wrangler just before 8:35 p.m. when he apparently rammed into a 2003 Hyundai.

Penate, of Highland Mills in Orange County, lost control of the Jeep, which turned over and rolled several times before he was ejected from it. He suffered head trauma and internal injuries and was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition on Monday, state police said.

The driver of the Hyundai, 29-year-old Aaron Jeronimus of Wallkill, Orange County, and his passenger were not injured in the crash.

It was not immediately clear what caused the initial accident.