Kingston, NY—On Tuesday, August 20, 2024, Lacy Maxwell, age 43, and Ryan Maxwell, age 43, both of Malden, pled guilty before the Honorable Bryan Rounds in connection with the fatal hit-and-run resulting in the death of 21-year-old Starllie Swonyoung, of Saugerties. Lacy Maxwell pleaded guilty to Leaving the Scene of an Incident Resulting in Death and the felony of Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree. Her husband, Ryan Maxwell, pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Fifth Degree for trying to help her in misleading the insurance company and covering up the actual cause of the damage to their car. Sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2024.

On January 10, 2024, Swonyoung and a friend had been walking on Route 9W at around 5:10 p.m. when Swonyoung was struck by a 2021 Subaru operated by Lacey Maxwell. Ms. Maxwell then fled the scene and did not stop to render care and aid or to report the incident as the law requires for every incident with a vehicle involving injury or property damage. The next day, with the help of her husband, Ryan Maxwell, she staged an accident to account for the damage sustained to the vehicle, and then submitted a claim to their insurance company.

A thorough investigation was done in this case with the joint collaboration of the Saugerties Police Department, New York State Police and the Collision Reconstruction Unit, and the DA’s Office, with assistance from the Saugerties and Malden West Camp Fire Departments.  A community outpouring of leads was instrumental and immensely assisted law enforcement in the investigation.

Deputy Chief ADA Paul Derohannesian is prosecuting the case. Defendant Lacy Maxwell is represented by Kingston attorney Tom Melanson and Ryan Maxwell is represented by Mikael Cohn.

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