Stafford

E-mail from Steve Boldt:

I would like to wholeheartedly thank the residents of Stafford for their vote  of confidence.  I’m proud to be a resident of Stafford and even prouder  that I’ve been given the opportunity to serve another term as Highway Superintendent.  You have my word that I will continue to work hard  and do what is best for the Town and its residents.  Family and work  obligations prevented me from visiting with each and every resident before  the election, but I encourage residents with concerns or suggestions to  contact me at 343-2907.  (I’m often out on the roads but I will return your call.)

Thank you!
Steve

A Stafford man admitted this morning to brandishing a rifle in a threatening manner during a dispute on March 17.

Michael A. Nicometo, 24, also pleaded guilty to an unrelated misdemeanor DWI charge and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. He was arrested on the DWI charge in Le Roy on Sept. 6.

As part of the plea arrangement, a handful of traffic tickets, some stemming from the Sept. 6 arrest and two others from other dates, were dismissed.

Nicometo will be released to an alcohol treatment facility and will come back at a later date for bail review and sentencing on the menacing and DWI pleas.

The maximum sentence imposed on Nicometo, primarily for the aggrevated unlicensed operation charge, could be four years in state prison. But if Nicometo follows the judge's orders, he could face a maximum sentence of 1 1/3 to 3 years. Regardless, the menancing charge would result in a concurrent sentence.

Cody L. Pahuta, 18, of 9548 Alleghany Road, Corfu, is charged with rape in the second degree, a criminal sexual act and endangering the welfare of a child. Pahuta is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl. He was jailed on $10,000 bail. The case was investigated by Village of Corfu Police.

Joel D. Prouty, 23, of 705 Old State Road, Bergen, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or greater and citations for alleged unsafe lane change, consumption of alcohol in a motor vehicle, uninspected motor vehicle and failure to notify DMV of an address change. Prouty was stopped by Deputy Jason Saile on Thwing Road in Stafford following a report of a suspicious person in the area. Prouty was issued an appearance ticket.

A Stafford man was robbed in his home this morning after he answered a knock on the door only to be hit on his head by a man wielding an unknown object, and when he regained consciousness, the 22-year-old had been cut on his chest and face.

He was treated at UMMC, although his injuries were not serious.

The robber or robbers grabbed his wallet and smashed his mobile phone. The wallet was recovered in the driveway, short $30 cash.

No other items were reported stolen.

The suspect is described as a male in his early 20s, stocky build, wearing blue jeans with a black hoodie. He may have been driving a red Pontiac Grand Am.

The incident occurred between 9:30 and 9:45 a.m..

Anybody with information is asked to call investigator Kristopher Kautz at the Genesee County Sheriff's Office, (585) 343-5000.

There are four primary elections in Genesee County today.

There are Republican primaries in Byron and Pembroke for town board seats.

In Darien, there's a three-way Democratic primary for two town board seats.

In Stafford, the Conservative Party will pick a candidate for Highway Superintendent.

Polls are open until 9 p.m.

Thanks to the Stafford Fire Department, the town will have a chance to expand Emery Park by nearly eight acres and add new ball fields for area residents.

The town board voted tonight to accept a donation of the land, which has already been graded and seeded.

Part of the motivation for accepting the donation, according to board members, is that the leach lines for the existing Emery Park restrooms need to be replaced and in order to do that, the donated property is essential.

"If that leach field goes out on us without us getting that land, then we're pretty much dead up there," Councilman Ron Panek said.

There will be a $350 fee to transfer the deed and the town could be on the hook for any additional upgrades.

But there was general agreement that if the town had additional playing fields, the fields would be used.

The four workers in the Stafford Highway Department have a new labor agreement with the town after months of negotiation.

The contract includes a standard pay raise of just over 5 percent over three years, but the main point of contention, health insurance, was resolved along the lines the Stafford Town Board sought.

Union members will be moved from the union insurance plan to a private plan, according to Councilman Bob Pacer.

The issue, according to Pacer, was that the union plan required every employee to be covered by the union plan, even if the employee chose to be covered by a spouse's plan.

With the private plan, union members can opt out and the town will save in the neighborhood of $7,000 to $8,000 per year.

The contract also supplies a safety clothing allowance for union members.

Stafford Fire Department has been dispatched to an unknown type fire on Route 5 between Roanoke Road and Buckley Road.

A first responder says there appears to be something "out in the woods."

UPDATE: 10:09 p.m.: It is a controlled burn. The property owners are on scene. It is under control. Stafford units back in service.

View Larger Map

The driver in yesterday's accident on Route 5 in Le Roy has been identified as 18-year-old Mike S. Garrett of 6432 Main Road, Stafford.

Garrett is at Strong Memorial Hospital in guarded condition.

The accident remains under investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

Here's the video shot at the scene yesterday:

A load of O'Lacy's bar towels were a total loss in a dryer fire this morning at the home of Kent Ewell, owner of the popular pub and restaurant on School Street in Batavia.

The quick response of Town of Batavia volunteer fire fighters is being credited with keeping the fire contained to the dryer with minimal smoke and water damage to the residence at 8215 Batavia-Stafford Townline Road.

The home is on the Stafford side of the border, but Batavia was actually dispatched first. Batavia also has a closer station, so Assistant Chief Dan Coffey (also a Batavia police officer) was first on scene.

He rapidly determined from Ewell the probable location of the fire. Crews swiftly connected to a nearby hydrant and ran a line through the front door, downstairs to the laundry room and extinguished the fire just as it began to lap the wall.

"It was a very quick knock down and a quick response that saved this house today," Coffey said.

Chuck Hammon, 3rd assistant chief for Stafford, said the cause of the fire was likely a worn belt on the dryer.

It's a common problem, he said.

"I don't know why they make some of these dryers with the belt next to the exhaust," Hammon said. The exhaust heat, he said, can cause the belts to wear faster and become a fire hazard.

Hammon also credited Batavia volunteer firefighters for its speedy response in preventing the fire from spreading.

Ewell said he usually starts his work day early and then comes home mid-morning, but the times vary day-to-day. He said he felt fortunate to come home when he did and make the 9-1-1 call. The house was full of smoke and the fire detectors were sounding when he opened his door, he said.

Top Picture: Hammon points to belt area of dryer, explaining how he believed the fire started. Bottom: The scene at Ewell's home after the fire was extinguished.

Audio:

• Kent Ewell
• Dan Coffey

Initial Report:

A house at 8215 Batavia-Stafford Townline Road is reportedly full of smoke. Firefighters from Stafford and Town of Batavia are responding.

First responder has confirmed it is a house fire.

(not posting map because Google map is not marking the address accurately)

UPDATE: On scene, with no smoke or fire visible. Byron and Bergen fire crews have been asked to stand down, only Stafford and the Town of Batavia fire crews remaining now.

The engine of a tractor in a field near Mullen Road and Morganville Road in Stafford is reportedly on fire.

Crews from the Stafford Fire Department are responding, though the first responder is reporting the fire is out.

UPDATE: All equipment now being held in hall. Fire is out.

View Larger Map

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.

The Stafford Fire Department sponsored its annual waterball and volleyball tournaments Saturday at its facility in Stafford.

Alden's department won the waterball tournament this year. 

Waterball is a competition between two teams with fire hoses trying to shoot a ball on a rope from one end of the field to the other. When a team can push the ball against the other team's backboard, that team gets a point.

The charity event helps raise money for Stafford's health and education fund. The fund recently distributed $500 each to cancer patients so they have fuel money to get to and from treatments. Also, each year the fund provides $1,000 college scholarships to a pair of Stafford high school seniors.

Two teams from Stafford and one each from Alden and Elba participated.

Assistant Chief Scott Kibler submitted the pictures.

More photos after the jump:

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.

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.

One person suffered minor injuries in a two-car accident on Route 19 at East Park Street in Pavilion on Saturday when the driver of one car reportedly failed to see another car and pulled out in front of it.

David J. Reschke, 18, of 9741 Transit Road, Stafford, was driving a 1999 Chevy sedan owned by Cynthia Reschke, when he reportedly stopped at a stop sign on westbound East Park Street, and then proceeded onto Route 19.

Reschke was reportedly distracted while admiring a passing Chrysler 300.

Three witnesses reported seeing him pull out in front of the on coming car.

The other car, a 2001 Ford sedan owned by Patricia Malone of Batavia, was driven by Tyler Kilgore, 19, of 9366 Sheppard Drive, Batavia. Kilgore reportedly suffered minor injuries and as transported to UMMC.

Following the accident investigation by Deputy Mazur, Reschke was charged with unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

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.

Christopher H. Monfort, 37, of 113 Pine St., Rochester and Timothy M. Stone, 29, of 3735 Chili Ave., Rochester are charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Monfort and Stone were part of the alleged scrap metal heist earlier this week. At the time of their arrest, they were allegedly found to have crystal meth in their possession. This additional charge has now been filed.

Nathan D. Bernard, 20, of 6084 Main Road, Stafford, is charged with attempted criminal trespass. A Sheriff's deputy reported that he was dispatched to 6084 Main Road, Stafford for a possible burglary in progress where a person was trying to gain access to the building through a basement window.  The deputy allegedly found Bernard with something in his hand and he was attempting to gain entry through a backdoor.  Bernard is held on $300 bail.

Steven Edward Ball, 35, of 11 1/2 Meadowcrest Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Ball allegedly tried to contact his ex-girlfriend through her mother. There is reportedly an order of protection against Ball on behalf of the ex-girlfriend.