No Criminal Charges for Car Crash that Injured Pelham Manor Police Officer

More than nine months after a on-duty Pelham Manor police officer was injured during car accident, investigators have ruled that there won’t be any criminal charges in connection to the incident.

Michael Tillistrand, an officer with the Pelham Manor police department, after a car driven by Jillian Ruggiero struck him near the intersection of Boston Post Road and Edgewood Avenue. Tillistrand was assisting another officer with a traffic stop at the time of the accident.

Tillistrand, a graduate of Yorktown High School who joined the police department almost about a year ago, suffered severe head injuries during the accident. He is now out of the hospital and is to return to work.

“There will not be any criminal charges based on our investigation with the Pelham Manor and Westchester County police departments,” Lucian Chalfen, a spokesman for the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, told Patch earlier today. “There is no evidence to support any criminal charges.”

Chalfen said investigators reached their decision earlier this month and sent a letter out to Tillistrand’s family announcing the decision a little more than a week ago.

Chalfen said his office has turned the case back over to the Pelham Manor Police Department.

“With respect to the decision made by the district attorney’s office, we will be reviewing the case like they recommended us to do,” said Al Mosiello, chief of the Pelham Manor Police Department.

Although there will be no criminal charges filed, Mosiello said vehicle and traffic related charges could still be handed out in connection to the accident.