It’s been a little over two weeks since a Saugerties man killed his father in the parking lot of a New Paltz diner and shot himself following a police pursuit, and investigators are still trying to piece together why it happened.
According to New Paltz Police Lieutenant Robert Lucchesi, police have not yet “ascertained a specific motive” as to why Jeremy Kaartine, 22, decided to gun down his father, Andrew Kaartine, 58, of Orange County. “We do know that the son contacted the father to arrange this meeting to try and reconcile, as they’d been estranged,” said Lucchesi. The father was shot quickly by his son and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jeremy Kaartine sped off in his red Camaro and was soon being chased by law enforcement officers. He lost control of the vehicle shortly after turning off Thruway exit 20 in Saugerties where he lived.
“It appears the gun wound that killed him was self-inflicted, but we have not yet determined whether he shot himself while driving or after he lost control of the vehicle,” said Lucchesi.
Lucchesi said police recovered two guns from the car of Jeremy Kaartine, both of which were legally registered to him.
Jeremy Kaartine was single with no children, and has a step-brother. Lucchesi said that the suspect did have “ongoing mental and emotional issues,” but that police still have not landed on a specific impetus for such a ghastly crime. As for whether the suspect could have been under the influence of any substances at the time of the shooting, Lucchesi said police are waiting on the results of a toxicology report.
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