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Darien

Two people injured in accident on Countyline Road in Darien

By Howard B. Owens

The lack of a turn signal may have been the cause of an accident in Darien on Thursday afternoon that sent two people to the hospital.

Charles V. Kopp, 51, of 2996 Countyline Road, was northbound on Countyline Road when he reportedly slowed to make a left hand turn into a private driveway. Kopp reportedly told Deputy T.G. Wescott that he did not use a turn signal.

Jeremiah W. Stanek, 20, of 9806 Allegheny Road, Corfu, was also northbound. He told Westcott that he didn't see a turn signal of Kopp's 1995 Chevy pickup.

Stanek reportedly struck Kopp's vehicle from behind causing it to travel off the west side of the roadway, where it left the pavement and struck a tree.

Stanek reportedly suffered an injury to his lower leg and was transported to UMMC.

A passenger in Stanek's 1998 Chevy pickup, 23-year-old Jeremy M. Kasprzyk, was also taken to UMMC with a possible chest injury.

The accident occurred about 4:12 p.m. yesterday.

Follow up: Defendents from night of Kid Rock concert return to Darien court

By Howard B. Owens

On an evening when the people coming into the Darien Town Court are a week removed from their initial arrest -- to be re-arraigned on the charges that got them locked up in the first place -- the tone is very different. Cases are handled quickly, there's few verbal challenges to the law or the court, and there's a lot less crying.

Quite and subdued would be an adequate description.

I returned to Darien Tuesday evening to follow up on the three defendants we encountered last week in Justice Gary Graber's court the night of the Kid Rock concert.

All three defendants -- Kenneth Koban, Peter H. Scrooby and Jamie E. Otto-Trott -- arrived in court at their appointed hour, well groomed and neatly dressed.

Graber wasn't on the bench Tuesday, being called away for a work-related emergency (he's a dispatcher for a trucking company in Buffalo), so Justice Michael Davis, newly elected last November, was sitting in.

While displaying the same sense of helpfulness -- wanting defendants to clearly understand their rights and legal options -- he takes a fairly matter-of-fact approach to getting a plea from the defendants and determining the date of their next court appearance.

Court started at 5:30 and I arrived at 5:35.  By that time, Koban had pleaded guilty to trespass and was making arrangements with Court Clerk Marcia Bontrager to pay his fine.

After Koban hurried out of the court, Davis and I chatted a bit and then another defendant arrived -- a young man charged with a DWI unrelated to last Tuesday's concert. He was dressed in a suit and a tie as was his attorney. His appearance was perfunctory and then we were back to waiting for Scrooby and Otto-Trott.

Scrooby arrived soon after in pressed pants and a white, long-sleve shirt, accompanied by a slightly older gentleman.

After hearing again the charges against him -- disorderly conduct  for allegedly fighting with Darien Lake security personnel -- Scrooby entered a not-guilty plea and said he would likely retain his own attorney.

He did complain about getting separated from the cash in his pocket the night of his arrest and wondered why it was not returned with the rest of his personnel effects after he made bail. Instead,it was offered to him in a phone call 15 minutes after he was heading home on the Thruway.

Davis explained that he didn't know anything about how Scrooby's property was handled and that was really a matter to take up with the Genesee County Jail.

Once Scrooby's next court appearance was set for July 28 at 6 p.m., Scrooby started to leave, but then remembered another question for Davis: Since Scrooby now had proof of identity, could his bail money be returned? Davis said that wasn't possible until the final dispostion of his case.

While Scrooby finished up his case, Anthony F. Perno, also arrested the night of the Kid Rock concert, stepped before Justice Davis.

Perno didn't take long to let it be unknown that he didn't understand why he was in court. 

"I was hauled in here and accused of something I didn't do," Perno said.

The 39-year-old Rochester resident is charged with harassment, accused of fighting with a security guard in the VIP area of the concert venue.

His frustration was heightened because he thought he had been arraigned Tuesday night and expected this week's appearance to afford him an opportunity to talk with a district attorney about his charges.

He told Davis he intended to bring his own attorney for his next court appearance, and Davis told him that would be July 28. Perno wanted to put it off for a month because he works two jobs and thought only one-week's notice for taking time off for a court appearance wasn't satisfactory his bosses.

Davis held firm on the July 28 date, but set his appearance time for 7 p.m.. Perno said the later time did help.

As Perno's case wrapped up, Otto-Trott checked in with the clerk. She appeared in slacks and a white blouse, looking far less disheveled than she did last week. A young woman accompanied her and sat in a folding chair the back row of the court room.

Otto-Trott, facing two counts of harassment, told Justice Davis that she had decided to seek the help of a public defender, so Davis entered a plea of not guilty for her and set her next court appearance for July 30 at 6 p.m..

With the Otto-Trott case handled, the court room once again fell silent. I walked up to the bench to ask Davis a few questions.

That's when I learned he was only recently elected to his first term, but that his father served as town justice three decades earlier, and in fact, served for a time with Graber.

"I sometimes get lawyers who come in and say, 'I remember when your dad was a judge,' and I say, 'that must have been 30 or 35 years ago,' and they go, 'thanks for putting a date on it.'"

Like Graber, Davis also works in the trucking industry. He dispatches and drives for Walton Milk Hauling in Alexander. He credits both Graber and the state for providing him valuable training on being a town justice.

Police Beat: Pair of harassment charges in Darien Center

By Howard B. Owens

David Micahel VanDorn, 20, of 1441 Broadway Road, Darien Center, is charged with harassment. VanDorn was arrested following a domestic dispute. During the argument, VanDorn allegedly spit on a woman, grabbed her by the wrists while attempting to remove a ring and yelled profanities at her.

Marie Erin Schafer, 21, 1441 Broadway, Darien Center, is charged with harassment. Schafer allegedly threatened to punch another person while moving toward her and also threatened to run another person over with a car.

Dennis R. Snell, 46, of 6563 Allegheny Road, Basom, is charged with DWI and failure to submit to a pre-screen device. Deputy Patric Reeves was called to the scene of a dispute in Alabama, with a report of an intoxicated driver. Upon investigation, Reeves charged Snell.

Claire Christin Cade, 25, of 96 Franklin St., Apt. #2, Owego, is charged with petty larceny. Cade is accused of stealing $147.27 worth of merchandise from Darien Lake Theme Park.

Marie Jacqueline Bogart, 32, of 94 Spencer Ave., Owego, is charged with petty larceny. Bogart is accused of stealing $132.08 in merchandise from Darien Lake Theme Park.

UPDATE: Missed these two items earlier:

Catherine Megan Marchese, 22, of 6430 Alleghany Road, Basom, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance.  Deputy Brian Thompson made the arrest while investing a litering complaint in Alabama when he stopped Marchese's car.  Marchese allegedly was throwing stuff from her car. During the investigation, Thompson reportedly found heroin in the car.

Elizabeth Marie Kennedy, 27, of 10 Maple Ave., Batavia, is charged with harassment and criminal mischief. The charges stem from alleged July 2 incident.  Kennedy is accused of attacking her boyfriend and destroying property.

There's no excuses in Darien's town court on a concert night

By Howard B. Owens

My press pass is more valuable than I thought. Until last night, I didn't realize it could also act as a "get out of jail free" card.

This, I learned from Peter H. Scrooby, who admitted last night he isn't paid for his internet writing, but he did think his credentials -- which,  unfortunately, he wasn't carrying -- entitled him to avoid a night in jail on a disorderly conduct charge.

Scrooby, who said he went to the Kid Rock concert to cover it for Los Angeles-based American Chronicle, carried no ID whatsoever (his girlfriend had his wallet, he said), which presented a puzzle for Darien Town Court Justice Gary Graber.

How could Graber release a defendant on his own recognizance who couldn't even prove his identity?

As Graber and Scrooby bantered about Scrooby's suitability for a no-bail release, I checked out American Chronicle on my laptop. Sure enough, Scrooby is listed as an author (picture borrowed from Scrooby's profile page). So are 5,000 other people.

Apparently, to become a corespondent for American Chronicle, all you need to do is create an account.

At least Scrooby has written some articles for the site. A couple of them even seem to be based on some original reporting.

This budding Hunter S. Thompson was one of three people I saw marched or dragged into the Darien courtroom during my two hours observing the proceedings and chatting with Graber -- when no wayward concert-goers demanded his attention.

Graber earns a living dispatching trucks out of Buffalo, but he's also spent more than 30 years on the Darien bench. A music fan himself -- he's seen such varied acts as Elvis Presley (twice -- young and older), Jeff Beck and the Beach Boys -- he said the Darien Lake shows keep him plenty busy during the summer.

"We're happy when the snow starts to fly," Graber said, noting the signal that the Darien concert season is over.

The backlog of cases and paperwork created over the summer won't be cleared from his desk until late February or March.

A naturally jocular and affable man with a face warmed by laugh lines and framed by graying hair, Graber seems temperamentally inclined to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. He clearly wishes no ill will toward any of the defendents who are brought before his bench, even when they try his patience.

Even so, let's not be fooled by that benevolent exterior: nobody is getting off easy.

Kenneth Koban of North Chili found that out after being brought in by Deputy Brian Thompson on a trespass charge.

Cobin, sporting a black leather vest with "Eagle Spirit" emblazoned on the back above a picture of an eagle's head, didn't understand why he was charged with trespass after he paid $100 for a ticket.

Koban allegedly refused to leave the concert venue after being ordered to do so by security officers. What precipitated him drawing the ire of Darien security wasn't discussed.

As he stood unsteadily before the justice, Koban repeatedly interrupted Graber either trying to explain his innocence, offering to display the $100 ticket in his pocket, or asking Graber if he could ask questions.

"I'm asking the questions," Graber said.

"I've got a couple of things to say," Koban said.

"This isn't the time for that," Graber said. "This is an arraignment. After you talk with your attorney, then you can explain about your $100 ticket."

"I would like a public defender," said Koban, who previously said he earned more than $100,000 a year and owned 10 homes.

Graber said Koban likely wouldn't qualify for a public defender.

"You do make $100,000?"

"Yes, I make $100,000," said Koban, raising his voice.

"There's no need to get agitated."

"I didn't even do nothing," Koban said. "I'm here in handcuffs right now, but I'm not agitated. I respect you and I respect the court, for what it's worth."

Koban was remanded to Genesee County Jail on $200 bail.

While Cobin stood before Graber, another defended was escorted into the courtroom, shackled at her ankles and handcuffed. She initially raised a ruckus, crying loudly and babbling.  Within minutes, Sgt. Brian Frieday  got her settled and calm, so Graber could proceed with Cobin's arraignment.

While Graber left the courtroom to finish up Cobin's paperwork, Cobin acted like he knew the young woman, telling her to stop crying and shut up, and saying, "Just tell the judge your boyfriend is a piece of shit."

When the woman tried to lay down on a "Darien"-engraved wooden bench, Sgt. Frieday made her sit up.

"Don't touch me," she yelled, then adding more softly. "I'm not trying to hurt you and don't want to hurt any one, so you can't touch me."

Jamie E. Otto-Trott, a 24-year-old, high-school pool supervisor from Rochester, appeared before Graber on two counts of harassment in the 2nd degree.

Otto-Trott, who made repeated requests of both Sgt. Frieday and the justice to have strands of her long, black hair swept from her face, allegedly pushed a Darien security guard and then allegedly kicked a Sheriff's deputy in the leg.

After being told about the charges by Graber, Otto-Trott said she just wanted to go home.

"My boyfriend took my car and left," she said. "I live an hour-and-half away."

Even though at one time Otto-Trott said she could afford to pay for her own attorney on her $200-a-week salary, she later said, "I don't think I can make that decision right now," so Graber said he would send her case to the Public Defender's office. He entered a not guilty plea for her and remanded her to Genesee County Jail on $300 bail.

After Graber left the room, Otto-Trott sat on a chair in the front row of the orderly, clean and well-lit courtroom and started asking Sgt. Parker questions, trying to find out his age. She thought he looked pretty young for 37.

With the age question settled, her mood changed again. The young lady, who minutes earlier told Graber she is returning to SUNY Brockport this fall to finish her degree in psychology after taking time off because her mother died last year, started sobbing again.

"I don't really like Kid Rock," she told Frieday, "but my boyfriend loves Kid Rock and wanted to go to this concert, and then I had to leave the concert. I just ruined the whole thing. We never go out. I just ruined the whole evening. Now he will want to break up with me."

Parker told her that he heard on the police radio earlier that her boyfriend was waiting for her at Genesee County Jail.

It was a tough case. While Graber can't discuss specific defendents, after Otto-Trott was escorted away, he looked out on the empty chamber with low-cast eyes, his face betraying an obvious compassion for the young lady.

As we talked about the kind of cases he's seen over the years, he said he has faced many tough decisions.

"These are never easy decisions," he said. "If you want a job with easy decisions, you shouldn't do this, you shouldn't be here. You have to take each case one at a time."

For all his his tender exterior, Graber seems completely immune to excuses.

None of last night's defendants were able to convince Graber that they deserved special treatment, either because the arrest was seemingly unfair, or because not everything was right with their lives.

Even our intrepid, aspiring gonzo journalist, Peter H. Scrooby couldn't justify avoiding a night in lock up. He was sent off to the pokey on $200 bail and ordered to reappear in two weeks.

Hopefully, he'll at least get a good story out of the experience.

AFTER MATTER: 

Mr. Scrooby sends along the following note:

Hi Howard,
Just a couple things I would like you to clarify in your article if you could sir. It was not my girlfriend that had my ID it was a friend of my mom's that attended the event with me. I also would like to note that yes anyone can become an author and sign up for free at American Chronicle, but the articles have to be approved and can be denied by the editors. I do not want it to sound as anyone can submit anything that they would like and have it published. Well take care and thanks, I enjoyed your article and have bookmarked your site as I also enjoyed your writing style. I take the Hunter S. Thompson  comment as a compliment and only hope that one day I could reach such great journalistic standards as the late Hunter S. Thompson achieved.

Regards,
Peter H. Scrooby
American Chronicle

UPDATE: In my desire to be as non-intrusive as possible with the lawmen, I relied on what I thought I was hearing in court for names.  Yesterday morning I tried to confirm the names with Chief Dibble, but he had already left on vacation. Late yesterday, I spoke with the Darien Court clerk, who helped clarify the names, and the story has been changed accordingly.  Sgt. Brian Frieday was with Otto-Trott. Deputy Brian Thompson was with Cobin, and though not mentioned in the story, Deputy Chris Parker was with Scrooby. Now, I hope that's all correct.

State Police increased DWI enforcement on night of Kid Rock concert and report 11 arrests

By Howard B. Owens

Kid Rock sure kept the cops busy last night.

We already told you about the more than 100 people busted by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, including the bus driver for Rock's entourage.

Now comes word from the New York State Police that troopers also arrested nearly a dozen people, plus wrote more than 50 tickets at two check points in Genesee County.

There was a traffic safety roadcheck on Route 77 in Pembroke, a DWI saturation detail in the Darien and a fixed DWI sobriety checkpoint on Route 33 and Colby Road in Corfu..

During the traffic safety roadcheck a total of 46 tickets were issued to motorists for a variety of charges including 8 tickets for violations of New York State’s Child Safety Seat Laws.  One arrest for unlawful possession of Marihuana was also made during the roadcheck.

Jennifer R Anderson, 29, of Allegany, NY was arrested for allegedly driving while ability impaired by alcohol.

John M. Caden, 38, of Roulette, PA was arrested for  alleged DWI.

James M. Carney, 22, of Batavia, was arrested for alleged DWI.

Jeffrey S. Hindle, 21, of Welland, ON was arrested for  alleged DWI.

Daniel R. Holahan, 21, of Rochester, was arrested for alleged driving while ability impaired by drugs.

Darra L. Lichy, 24, of Salamanca,  was arrested for alleged DWI.

Darrel W. Newark, 43, of Buffalo,  was arrested for alleged DWI.

James R. Soccio, 28, of Batavia, was arrested for alleged DWI.

Lani G. Stevens, 20, of Lawtons,  was arrested for alleged DWI.

Jessica A. Warner, 19, of Campbell, was arrested for alleged DWI.

Joshua A. Wheeler, 21, Mt. Morris,  was arrested for alleged driving with ability impaired by drugs and alleged unlawful possession of marihuana.
 

Police Beat: Three DWI arrests this morning

By Howard B. Owens

James H. Payne, 21, of 7017 E. Quaker St., Orchard Park, was charged with DWI and with driving with a BAC of .08 or greater following a traffic stop for allegedly failing to dim his headlights on Route 98 in the Town of Batavia at 2:34 a.m..

Wanda J. Jimerson, 32, of Irving (no address given) was arrested by Corfu Police early this morning following a traffic stop and charged with DWI. Jimerson was also issued a ticket for allegedly avoiding a traffic-control device.

Brian S. Weissinger, 39, of 88 Williston Road, Rochester, was reportedly observed in the VIP parking lot of Darien Lake Theme Park and Resort and was advised not to drive. Moments later he was allegedly observed driving his 2001 Dodge Intrepid. Weissinger was charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater.

Police Beat: Woman charged with resisting arrest following alleged disturbance at park

By Howard B. Owens

LaToya D. Jackson, 23, of 25 Hutchins St., Upper, Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Jackson allegedly caused a disturbance at Goade Park early Saturday morning about 4 a.m.. She allegedly resisted arrest while being taken into custody. Jackson was placed in Genesee County Jail on $2,000 bail.

Brandt L. Arnold, 28, of 752 Reynolds Road, Darien, is charged with harassment. Arnold allegedly grabbed a woman by her wrist, dragged her to the ground and would not let her get up. He is held on $450 bail. The alleged incident occurred Sunday about 11:45 p.m..

John Nicholas Vaccaro, 21, of 7081 Transit Road, East Amherst, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Vaccaro was reportedly a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation when he was allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Andrew James Ahmad, 22, of 4120 Gunville Road, Clarence, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Ahmad was reportedly the driver of a vehicle pulled over for an alleged traffic violation. Marijuana was reportedly found in his pants' pocket.

Daniel W. Winters, 25, of 125 Kenwick, Rochester, is charged with DWI. Winters was taken into custody following a traffic stop just after midnight Sunday on Sumner Road in Darien. Winters is also charged with driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. His license was reportedly previously revoked. He was taken to jail on $7,500 bail.

Zachary D. Parisi, 20, of 1752 Broadway, Grand Island, is charged with DWI. Parisi was stopped on Colby Road in Darien for allegedly crossing a double yellow line while driving his 2004 Ford Mustang. Parisi was also charged with driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. The incident occurred at 10:38 p.m. Saturday.

Jesse Matthew Caudill, 28, of 5373 Wethersfield Road, Silver Springs, is accused of causing a disturbance in the beer tent of the Alexander Tractor Pull on Friday night. Caudill allegedly took an open-handed swing at Deputy J.L. Baiocco. Caudill was charged with harassment and issued an appearance ticket.

Ronald E. Quayle, Jr., 42, of 305 Mason Road, Mohawk, was charged with DWI Thursday about 11:45 p.m. following a traffic stop on Route 33 near Lovers Lane Road. Quayle was allegedly driving with a BAC of .08 or greater.  He was also issued a ticket for allegedly driving 67 m.p.h. in a 55 m.p.h. zone. and a ticket for an alleged failure to keep right.

Charles R. Engel, 39, of 1835 E. Albert St., Philadelphia, Pa., was charged with DWI for allegedly driving  while intoxicated on Main Road in Stafford early Friday morning. He was also charged with driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, speed over 55 m.p.h., driving left of pavement markings and moving from a lane unsafely.

Mercy Flight dispatched to scene of one-car accident in Darien

By Howard B. Owens

UPDATE: Jeremy M. Pysher, 19, of 730 Exchange Road, Attica, was seriously injured and is in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center following a one-car accident on Route 238 this morning at 8:42.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash in which Pysher, driving a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina, drifted across the southbound lane and off the west shoulder of the roadway. The car struck a tree "virtually head-on" and twisted around the trunk of the tree before striking a second tree.

The car caught fire, but the fire was contained to the rear of the engine compartment. 

Pysher suffered unspecified injuries as well as burns to his lower legs.

He was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

The location of the accident on Route 238 was appoximately 4/10 of a mile south of Griswold Road in Darien.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by Deputy Eric Seppala with assistance from Sgt. James Meier, Sgt. William Scott and Investigator Timothy Weis. Also responding to the scene were the Corfu Police Department, the Darien Fire Department and members of New York State Corrections.

Original post:

A car reportedly hit a tree on Route 238 just south of Griswold Road in Darien.

At least one person is trapped in the car and extraction tools are needed. Mercy Flight has been requested. The car was also reportedly smoldering.


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Prior planning averts fire disaster in Darien

By Howard B. Owens

The fire wasn't serious, but a good fire alarm system and regular fire drills certainly demonstrated this morning in Darien how a good fire plan can save lives and protect property.

The 5:30 a.m. fire started in the bedroom of Jeremy Rademacker when a halogen lamp was accidentally kicked to the floor and left on.

The fire alarm in Jeremy's room sounded, but because the alarm is wired into a house-wide alert system, both his father and sister were awakened by the alarm. All three people exited the house safely, with Mr. Rademacker closing the door to the bedroom on the way out, and they met at a pre-designated spot.

The fire caused $10,000 to $15,000 in damage.

WBTA interviewed Genesee County Emergency Manager Coordinator Tim Yeager who credited the family with smart smoke detector installation and prior planning with averting disaster.

Police Beat: Stafford man allegedly threatens Village of Corfu court staff

By Howard B. Owens

Karl Matthew Churchill, 29, of 6018 Main Road, Stafford, is charged with harrassment. Churchhill allegedly made a threatening phone call to the Village of Corfu Court after receiving a traffic ticket for allegedly tinted windows.

Robert E. Magoffin Jr., 37, 3717 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater. Magoffin was allegedly doing 84 m.p.h. in a 40 m.p.h. zone on Route 20 in Darien when he was stopped.  He was ordered to appear in Darien Town Court on Aug. 18.

Police Beat: Man accused of stealing winning lottery tickets from father's car

By Howard B. Owens

Daniel Nathan Bernard, 20, of 6083 Route 5, Stafford, is charged with petty larceny. Bernard is accused of stealing $60 in winning scratch-off lottery tickets from his father's locked car, which was parked at his father's house.

Eileen Barbara Ferrando, 37, of 53 W. Main St., Corfu, was picked up on a bench warrant issued in the City of Batavia for alleged unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Ferrando was turned over to the Batavia Police Department.

Scott Webb, 19, of 12 Grote St., Buffalo, is charged with petty larceny. Grote is accused of stealing game prizes from a game stand at Darien Lake Theme Park.

A 17-year-old from Corfu is accused of reckless driving and endangering the welfare of a child.  The youth allegedly drove at a high rate of speed down Chapel Street in Elba, losing control and coming within feet of striking a child riding a bicycle. The youth was issued an appearance ticket.

Police Beat: Pavilion man accused of jumping over fence, threatening neighbor

By Howard B. Owens

Gene Douglas Swede, 61, of 11295 Perry Road, Pavilion, is charged with harassment. Swede is accused of jumping a fence into a neighbor's yard, yelling and cussing at the neighbor and threatening to beat up the neighbor. An order of protection was issued for Swede protecting his neighbors.

Porscha Mohogani Woods, 26, of 305 Oak St., Syracuse is charged with disorderly conduct. Woods is accused of pushing Darien Lake security guards and using vulgar language while attempting to break free of the guards following an altercation at the park on July 4 at 8:11 p.m.

A 16-year-old from Rochester was issued a ticket by Sheriff's deputies in the Town of Batavia for unlawful possession of marijuana.  The youth was walking on a road in Batavia when he was allegedly found to be in possession of marijuana.

Police Beat: Two women charged with shouting obscenities in public

By Howard B. Owens

Jazzmyne M. Heard, 21, of 965 E. Glide St., Rochester, is charged with disorderly conduct. Heard allegedly shouted obscenities while on the sidewalk on South Main St. The alleged incident occurred Thursday at 11:45 a.m.

Megan J. Dowd, 26, of 16 Church St., Le Roy, was charged with disorderly conduct after allegedly shouting obscenities in a public place. The alleged incident occurred at 337 Bank St.

James S. Gibbs, 33, of 34 Vernon Ave., Batavia is charged with criminal contempt. Gibbs allegedly made contact with a person he was ordered not to contact.

Jay R. Cummings, 23, of 10565 Harper Road, Darien, is charged with felony DWI. Cummings was stopped on West Main Street by Batavia police following a report of a road rage incident in the Town of Batavia.  Officers Coffey and Klimjack report Cummings was allegedly intoxicated. He is also charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. Cummings reportedly has a prior felony DWI conviction. He is held on $5,000 bail.

Ryan P. Sutton, 19, of 8290 Lewiston Road, Batavia, is charged with making graffiti. Batavia Police Officer Matthew Baldwin reportedly observed Sutton carving something into plastic play equipment in Pringle Park with a folding knife on Thursday night.

Stephan A. Lewis II, 29, of 541 E. Main St., is charged with petty larceny. Lewis is accused of stealing beer from Wilson Farms, 506 E. Main St.

John J. Smalley, Sr., 46, of 32 S. Main St., Oakfield, is charged with harassment. Smalley is accused of making harassing phone calls to another person. He was arrested by Batavia police officers.

Timothy Ryan McJury, 22, of 334 W. Main St., #5, is charged with petty larceny. McJury is accused of shoplifting three DVDs and a video game from Target.

Travis W. Zeidler, 29, of 502-2969 Kingsway Drive, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .18 or more. Zeidler was arrested following a Sheriff's Office investigation into a reported car accident inside the parking lot of Darian Lake Theme Park. Zeidler is held on $500 bail. The incident was investigated by Deputy Jason Saile.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, is charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21. Reschke was reportedly found to possess alcohol following a car accident at Route 19 and Cato Street in Pavilion on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Stephanie L. Hagen, 26, of 3259 Rose Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Hagen was reportedly stopped for an alleged traffic violation on Erie Road in Darien on Saturday morning about 1 a.m. She reportedly had a BAC of .08 or greater.

Ronald J. Tombari III, 21, of Pavilion, is charged with felony unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident, DWI and driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Tombari allegedly struck a parked car in Le Roy and then left the scene. Le Roy Patrolman Daryl Robb made the arrest.

Man allegedly makes left hand turn into oncoming traffic on Route 20

By Howard B. Owens

A vehicle driven by a Darien man reportedly failed to yield the right-of-way while making a left turn on Route 20 yesterday afternoon causing a two-car crash.

Duane D. Leo, 70, who was reportedly driving a 1999 Plymouth SUV, allegedly made the turn and was hit by a 1996 Jeep driven by Justin W. Loomis, 24.

Leo lives at 1331 Herkimer Road, Darian and Loomis is from 8934 Luckenbach Hill, Springwater.

Leo was transported to UMMC with a minor head injury.

The accident occurred at 1919 Broadway. We origionally reported this as an accident involving a tractor trailer.  No tractor trailer is mentioned in Deputy K.R. McCathy's report, so the original report must have been in error in that regard.

Truck vs. car accident reported on Route 20

By Howard B. Owens

A two-vehicle accident with minor injuries is reportedly blocking Route 20 at 1888 Broadway, half way between Alexander and Darien.

The accident involves a car and tractor trailer. There is reportedly severe damage on the car and it's leaking gasoline.


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Police Beat: Teen-ager in Byron accused of stealing from neighbor

By Howard B. Owens

Nicholas Jacob Ridge Adkins, 18, of 6954 Swamp Road, Byron, is charged with a felony count of burglary and a misdemeanor charge of petty larceny. He is accused of entering a neighboring residence and stealing property from the house. Bail is set at $2,500.

Richard Mungo, 42, 3252 Pine Terrace #3, Macedon, is charged with petty larceny. Mungo allegedly stole a variety of items from the gift shop at Darien Lake Theme Park on June 30.

David Tuttle, 69, 1 Hidden Meadows Drive, Bergen, is charged with harassment. He is accused of punching a neighbor in the face twice during an argument in front of their homes. He was arraigned in Bergen Town Court and released on his own recognizance.

Deputies and GCASA team up to crack down on under-age drinking at concert

By Howard B. Owens

The Sheriff's Office announced today that during Friday's Def Leppard/Poison concert at Darien Lake Theme Park 15 young people were arrested for alleged under-age drinking.

The operation, aimed at aggressively clamping down on under-age drinking during the concert, was co-sponsored by GCASA.

The names and ages of the people charged are:

  • Kaitly M. Rozwood, 18, Blasdell
  • Kayla M. Kinsley, 19, Blasdell
  • Timothy L. Kiebzak, 18, Kenmore
  • Brandon C. Costanzo, 20, Buffalo
  • Ellie N. McGee, 18, Williamsville
  • Jillian E. Pettis, 20, Williamsville
  • Thomas D. Meyer, 20, Belfast
  • Ashton M. Meyer, 20, Bath
  • Joey J. Ruderman, 19, Cheektowaga
  • Tara M. Wojtkowski, 18, Savona
  • Michelle C. Schwegler, 20, North Tonowanda
  • Valerie D. Kostart, 20, Noth Tonowanda

Plus one 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old male from Rochester.

Police Beat: Trespass alleged at College Village

By Howard B. Owens

Patrick Wolff, 18, 34 Vine St., Batavia, is charged with trespass. He is accused of entering College Village after being banned from the area.

Brian Griffin, 24, 14 Orchard St, Oakfield, is charged with criminal contempt. Griffin allegedly violated an order of protection by visiting the protected person at home.

Daniel J. Berhow, 23, 1640 Carmen Road, Barker, is accused of criminal mischief, harassment and DWI following an incident Friday night on Route 33 in the Town of Batavia. Berhow allegedly choked another person and punched out the window to her car. Further investigation revealed that he apparently drove while intoxicated. An order of protection was issued following the incident.

Michael J. Hoffman, 40, 5106 Parker Road, Hamburg, was charged with DWI following a traffic stop on Colby Road in Darien for allegedly driving without tail lamps. Hamburg is accused of having a BAC of .08 or greater.

Phillip Ehnot, 30,  23 Harvester Ave., Batavia, is in jail on $2,000 bail. According to Batavia police, Ehnot reportedly grabbed his wife and threw her to the ground, pulling her hair. He also allegedly pushed his son into some stairs. He is charged with harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. The alleged incident occurred Saturday night just after 10 p.m.

Three Buffalo men accused of burglaries in Darien area

By Howard B. Owens

Three men from Buffalo were arrested yesterday in connection with two daytime residential burglaries in Darien in which $3,000 in cash, plus jewelery and other valuables were stolen.

One of the suspects, Justin M. Falter, 19, is reportedly a former Genesee County resident who knew the families victimized by the burglaries.

All three men were picked up yesterday based on a tip from a concerned citizen who spotted a suspicious vehicle outside a Darien residence. The vehicle matched the description of a vehicle seen by a witness at one of the previous burglaries.

Sheriff's investigators believe the suspects were preparing for another burglary at the time of their arrest.

The other two suspects are (name redacted upon request), 19, and (name redacted), 22. All three men reportedly resided at 138 Marion St., Buffalo.

The first burglary reportedly occurred June 11 on Harlow Road. The victim reported $3,000 in cash stolen. On June 18, another burglary was reported on Seven Day Road. In this case, jewelry, liquor, electronics and clothing were reportedly stolen.

When Deputy Brian Thompson came upon the suspicious vehicle yesterday, all three suspects were reportedly in the vehicle. Upon further investigation, some of the reportedly stolen items were in the vehicle.

Yesterday evening a search warrant was executed at the Buffalo residence of the suspects and more allegedly stolen items were recovered.

(name redacted upon request) and Falter were charged with two counts of burglary in the second degree. (name redacted faces one count.

(name redacted) and Falter are held in Genesee County Jail on $15,000 bail. xxxx's bail is $20,000.

The investigation is ongoing.

Participating in the investigation, arrests and search were the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, the New York State Police and the Buffalo Police Department.

(Pictured, Top: Falter, (name redacted upon request), (name redacted).

Farm worker accused of stealing cattle and selling for more than $250,000

By Howard B. Owens

A farm worker in Darien has been accused of stealing and selling 150 head of cattle from Herdsman at Reyncrest Farms and selling them for more than $250,000.

Charles G. Baldwin, 37, 4 John St., Akron, is charged with grand larceny and now held at Genesee County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.

Baldwin allegedly stole the cattle between July 2007 and May 2009 from the farm located at 9666 Route 77, Darien. The farm is owned by the Reynolds family, who reportedly employed Baldwin.

The alleged crime was investigated by William T. Ferrando, an investigator with the Sheriff's Office.

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