Gardiner resident Ty Kobelt received a prison sentence of 2⅓ to 7 years on Thursday after accepting a plea deal for the hit-and-run incident that resulted in the death of SUNY New Paltz student Raymond E. Rattray on Jan. 23.
The 35-year-old driver was traveling south on state Rt. 208 in New Paltz when he hit Rattray and fled the scene. Rattray’s body was discovered by deputies the following day roughly 20 feet from the road in the woods near Hawk Drive and Cross Creek Road.
As part of a plea agreement, Kobelt pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting a death, both felonies. Authorities reported that he was on the phone at the time of the collision and had used marijuana about 30 minutes earlier.
In a court statement, Rattray’s father described his son as a joyful child, a courageous teenager, and a determined young man who overcame challenges to succeed at SUNY New Paltz. He shared photos highlighting his son’s life milestones.
His father recounted that on the day of the incident, Raymond was rushing home to join a Zoom call to arrange his college meal plan, demonstrating his independence. He questioned how the driver could have missed seeing his son walking along a wide, straight, and level section of Route 208, attributing it to the driver’s marijuana use and phone distraction.
Through tears, the driver apologized in court, acknowledging that he could not undo his actions. After the proceedings, Rattray’s father expressed dissatisfaction with the plea deal, describing it as lenient, though he appreciated Judge Rounds’ efforts to reach the defendant.
Join the family! 
