A 47 year old man is shot during an altercation after a car accident On the evening of February 5, 1997, Richard Aderson, a 47-year-old male, was driving his Volvo sedan eastbound on Interstate 84 in Fishkill, New York, when he was involved in a minor traffic accident with another vehicle. Both Aderson and the other driver pulled over to the shoulder of the highway. An argument ensued between the two men, which tragically escalated.
The other driver, described as a white male, pulled out a gun and shot Aderson in the chest before fleeing the scene.
Despite being gravely wounded, Aderson managed to return to his car and call 911 for help. During the call, he was able to provide the dispatcher with a description of his assailant and the man's vehicle. Aderson described the shooter as a thin white male in his late 40s, approximately six feet tall, with a receding hairline and wearing aviator-style eyeglasses. He stated the man was driving a green, late-model Jeep Cherokee-type vehicle, possibly with New Hampshire license plates.
Emergency services arrived at the scene, and Aderson was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital in Newburgh. However, he succumbed to his injuries in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. The case, which gained national attention and was featured on television shows like 'America's Most Wanted' and 'Unsolved Mysteries,' remains a cold case. Despite thousands of leads over the years, no arrests have ever been made, and the suspect remains unidentified. The New York State Police continue to investigate the homicide of Richard Aderson, who was the assistant superintendent for the Valley Central School District and a father of three.
