NYSP determines Hartwick incident to be an accident

New York State Police issued a statement late in the afternoon on Friday, April 8, announcing “no criminal activity occurred” in a January 2 incident in Hartwick and “the victim’s injuries were the result of an unfortunate fall.”

The Freeman’s Journal / Hometown Oneonta first reported in our February 3 edition that sources with direct knowledge of the investigation already had determined the unfortunate incident to be an in-home accident. New York State Police told The Freeman’s Journal / Hometown Oneonta at the time they had determined the January 2 event “appears to be an isolated incident.”

According to the April 8 statement from the New York State Police,  “Investigators spent months conducting interviews and examining evidence, ultimately leading to the determination that the woman’s physical injuries were caused when she fell inside her home.  The investigation has determined that no criminal activity occurred in the home and the victim’s injuries were the result of an unfortunate fall. Sadly, the woman passed away several weeks after her fall. She is identified as 86-year-old Flora Polulech.

The New York State Police offers our sympathy to the fall victim’s family, and are glad to report that no crime occurred and there is no threat to the community. We also thank the Hartwick community for their patience while we fully investigated this incident to ensure accuracy and public safety.”