When Deputy Brian Skelton shows up for work Friday, it won't be to sit in a courtroom and listen to lawyers haggle over the fine point of some law, or tell one more man to empty his pockets before walking through the security scanner or help some inmate into the courtroom.

Rather, Friday is the day Skelton turns in his gun and badge, signs a few papers and closes out a 32-year career in the Sheriff's Office.

"It was just time to go," Skelton said.

He has no particular plans for retirement, except to spend more time with his family and play a little more golf. He might look for another job, but first, he's just going to take some time off.

Skelton is the first sworn officer in the department to retire since Sgt. Gary Russell in 2007.

Sheriff Gary Maha said there are currently several members of the department eligible to retire, but nobody has made an official announcement.

Maha's staff is currently interviewing candidates for Skelton's position in the courthouse and once he's replaced, that could lead to an opening for the Sheriff's Office to hire a new deputy.

The security staff at the courthouse is paid for the NYS Office of Court Administration.

Skelton has been assigned to court security since 1997, which is when the new courthouse opened.

He began his law enforcement career in 1980 working security for Genesee Community College. He was hired by the Sheriff's Office as a corrections officer at the jail in 1983.

After 18 months of employment at the jail, he was admitted into road patrol school and worked the roads of Genesee County from 1985 to 1997.

One night during those 12 years on the road -- this was about 20 years ago -- Skelton and his partner came across one of the two big murder cases Skelton was involved with during his career.

Skelton and his partner that night, Deputy Eric Koziarski, who was still in training, were cruising in Darien when they came across an 18-wheeler pulled over to the side of the road and the driver trying to put up cones.

When Skelton and Koziarski approached the driver, it was immediately apparent that the man -- whose name Skelton doesn't remember -- was intoxicated.

Koziarski noticed a shell casing on the roadway.

Skelton noticed some blood under the door of the sleeper cabin and the door was slightly ajar. When the deputies opened the door, there was a man laying inside with a gunshot wound to his head.

The victim was still alive, but died the next day.

The murderer was apparently getting ready to dump the body in a ditch near the road.

"The Sheriff at the time told me that if we hadn't come along when we did, it probably would have gone down as another unsolved murder," Skelton said. "The two men were both from out of the area, they didn't know each other before meeting at a truck stop that night, and the trucker would have been long gone before we found the body."

The other murder case where Skelton showed up at the right place at the right time involved a group of traveling magazine sales reps. 

Skelton was dispatched to what is now the Clarion Hotel where a woman wanted to file a complaint about a possible assault.

While Skelton was talking with the woman, the two suspects showed up and she said, "there they are."

The two young men took off running. Skelton was able to tackle one and the other was eventually captured on the grounds of the VA Hospital.

It would be another half day before the bodies of the victims were found, dumped in a quarry off Seven Springs Road.

It turned out that the group had cooked up a plan to rob the gas station at the corner of Cedar and Ellicott streets. When two of the members of the group decided to back out, the other two young men decided to bash their heads in with rocks for fear the other two guys might snitch.

Both killers were eventually given sentences of life without parole.

Being in the right place at the right time figured prominently in other cases Skelton helped crack, such as the time in Alexander he came across a truck pulled over on Sandpit Road with a stolen riding mower in the bed, or the stolen vehicle he stopped for a traffic violation, only to notice broken glass and the ignition was punched out (the car, stolen out of Buffalo, hadn't even been reported missing yet). The driver, it turned out, was wanted on an arson warrant.

But even with the excitement of road patrol, when there was an opportunity to move to court security, it seemed like a good deal, Skelton said. Court security means all day shifts with weekends and holidays off.

Not that it's all a bed of roses in the courthouse.

Not everybody appreciates or understands the need for secuirty and they will complain about emptying their pockets, going through the scanner, getting bags and briefcases scanned, and are just some times unhappy with being summoned to court at all.

"It can be trying and get on your nerves at times," Skelton said.

While defendants and people in the gallery can get unruly in court at times, Skelton said he doesn't remember ever needing to wrestle anybody to the ground or make an arrest.

But working in the court house, seeing some cases from beginning to end, has been an eye-opener about how the legal process works, something he thinks all police officers would benefit from seeing.

"It's a lot different from being on the road," Skelton said. "Lawyers have 45 days just to file motions on their clients' behalf, so they have a lot of time to look into a case, where a lot of times, a police officer doesn't have a lot of time before making an arrest.

"(Officers should) come in and listen to a case from start to finish for a jury trial," Skelton said. "It opened my eyes quite a bit. I remember stuff I used to do on the road and in investigating cases and not worrying, say, about little things, and later those little things become big things in the case."

A woman has hit a dog near the five corners on Bank Street Road, Batavia.

The dog is injured. The woman's car is damaged.

A Sheriff's deputy is responding.

The woman doesn't know who owns the dog.

A tractor-trailer has reportedly lost a box of nails on West Main Street near River Street, Batavia, and the contents are "spread out over quite a distance."

The nails are in an eastbound lane.

A Probation Department car has been involved in an accident on West Main Street near Bogue Avenue.

It's a minor, two-car accident with no injuries and it's not blocking traffic.

Batavia PD responding to take a report.

A two-car accident is reported at West Main and Lyon streets. One passenger is complaining of back pain. A State Trooper is on scene. City fire and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 12:39 p.m.: A second ambulance is dispatched to aid another person complaining of back pain.

UPDATE 1 p.m.: A man is being taken to UMMC after complaining of back pain. The other medic is back in service.

Jacquetta B. Simmons is the first person in Genesee County to be prosecuted under a law passed by the State Legislature in 2008 making it a Class D felony to assault and cause injury to a person 65 or older.

The legislation, called "The Granny Law" and sponsored by Speaker Sheldon Silver, was passed in response to a series of violent attacks on elderly people in New York City, including the violent mugging of a 101-year-old woman, Rose Morat, of Brooklyn.

Gov. David Paterson signed the legislation into law as part of a package of laws protecting seniors from "elder abuse," both physical crimes and scams.

As a felony, defendants charged under the subdivision of assault in the second degree face a possible state prison term of anywhere from 2 to 7 years, but, unlike higher-level violent felonies, a state prison term is not mandatory for a Class D violent felony.

That will leave room for a plea deal for Simmons, but the case is still very early in the process and District Attorney Lawrence Friedman said his office hasn't had the opportunity to review the evidence yet.

The case will eventually move from Town of Batavia Court to Genesee County Court. But before that happens, there needs to be either a waiver of a grand jury presentation or the case must be presented to the grand jury.

"We haven't received the case yet," Friedman said. "The next step is we get the file and review the evidence."

Based on a review of the evidence and the circumstances of the case, Friedman's office will determine how to proceed with the case.

Simmons is scheduled to reappear in town court Jan. 23.

The 2008 law will make the case somewhat easier to prosecute, Friedman said.

In a situation such as this, in order to sustain a charge of assault in the second degree, prosecutors were previously required to prove "serious physical injury." But the 65-or-older charge requires only that the prosecution prove that the suspect intentionally caused "physical injury" to a victim who is at least 65 years old and that the suspect is more than 10 years younger than the victim.

"We're grateful that this newer charge is there for a situation like this," Friedman said. "It gives us an advantage. We don't have to establish serious physical injury just physical injury. That lessens our burden."

Firefighters from Alexander, Bethany and Darien are requested to stand by in their halls in case they are needed to provide mutual aid to the Attica Fire Department.

UPDATE 12:13 p.m.: Per Attica, all three fire departments are put back in service.

An accident is reported in Oakfield. A car struck the Wilson Farms Market building. There are believed to be no injuries. The store is located at 25 S. Main St. Sheriff's deputies are on location.

Two people were injured in a crash on Lockport Road at Route 98, Elba, at 5:47 p.m. Wednesday, after one of the drivers allegedly failed to stop for a stop sign.

Transported to UMMC with non-life-threatening injuries by Mercy EMS were Kevin A. Dutton, 35, of Garden Park Apartments, Albion, and Dylan D. Dutton, 13.

Cited for allegedly failing to stop was Charles L. Hudson, 39, of Cottage Court, Warsaw.

Hudson was reportedly westbound on Lockport Road and Dutton was traveling southbound.

Neither Dutton nor his two passengers were injured.

A third person in Hudson's car was also not injured.

The accident was investigated by Sgt. Greg Walker.

(Initial report)

Stephen Irvine Stone (photo), 45, of South Lake Street, Bergen is charged with sodomy, 1st, rape, 1st and criminal sexual act, 1st. Stone is accused of engaging in oral sexual conduct with a six-year-old girl in 1997 and 1998. Stone is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl by forcible compulsion in 2004. Stone is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl by forcible compulsion in 2008. Stone was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and jailed on $100,000 bail.

Gene Douglas Snyder, 30, of Orchard Street, Oakfield, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Snyder is accused of subjecting another person to unwanted physical contact.

Travis Lavern Schossow, 25, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Schossow is accused of pushing his girlfriend into a dresser, allegedly violating a no-offense conduct order out of City of Batavia Court. Schossow is also accused of throwing a plastic cigarette case at a wall. The case reportedly bounced off a wall and struck a 12-year-old child in the neck causing a scratch. Schossow was jailed on $2,000 bail. A stay-away order was issued for the alleged victim and her child.

Police have been dispatched to the Thruway overpass on Route 98 where a person is setting up a tripod and camera.

(For the record, it's not me -- though if somebody called police every time I set up a tripod and a camera I'd spend a lot more time talking with deputies and a lot less time taking pictures.)

A three-car accident with unknown injuries is reported at Route 98 and Lockport Road in Elba. Elba Fire Department and Mercy EMS are responding.

UPDATE 6:35 p.m.: One person is being transported to UMMC with complaints of abdominal pain.

UPDATE 6:45 p.m.: There were three two injuries reported. One person is being taken to a hospital via Mercy Flight. The third second victim either declined or did not require transport. Traffic is heavily backed up. Route 98 remains closed until the tow trucks clear the scene.

UPDATE 6:51 p.m.: The roadway is being reopened.

A one-car accident is reported at 2616 Walker Road in Alexander. There is a "very minor injury" but extrication is needed. The car is off the roadway. Alexander fire and ambulance are responding.

In Batavia today, it looks like we're getting hit with our first real winter storm -- as minor as it is, it's still a bit more of a storm than the previous snow showers.

The National Weather Service even issued a weather advisory in effect until 6 p.m., though it looks like the current snow front will pass out of the area around noon.

One to three inches of snow is predicted.

There are hazards from blowing snow -- winds up to 35 mph -- and freezing roadways.

While temperatures are in the low 20s, the wind chill could drop the "feels like" temp to single digits.

I can't say I've had my ear glued to the scanner 100 percent of the time this morning, but so far, not much in the way of traffic accidents (knock on wood), which is a bit out of the ordinary for a first snowstorm in WNY.

Snow is predicted for at least part of each of the next five days.

A fast-paced performance entitled "Therapy" opens tonight in the Harvester 56 Theater on Harvester Avenue, Batavia.

The performance consists of various dances set to pop and rock songs that many members of the audience may identify. 

Genesee County natives Tara Pocock and Trent Jeffords came up with the concept and choreographed the production. In addition to the two choreographers, the cast includes Amanda Crowley, Zack Durkin and Erin Dunham.

The show, which lasts approximately one hour, is composed of numerous dances and a few spoken lines that tell the stories of fictional characters who take part in a group-therapy session. 

Due to the adult themes depicted in the dances, the production is recommended for teenagers and adults. 

Each of the characters has a specific personality and unique problems, which are more fully developed in the second act. The performers make good use of the black box stage, which allows audience members to have a good view of the dancers from three sides of the stage in this intimate setting.

"Sometimes we discover that what seems like the smallest of problems actually have an enormous effect on our lives, Jeffords said. "This show is the embodiment of this concept."

"Therapy" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The proceeds collected from audience members' suggested donation of $5 will be used to support community theater through the Batavia Players.

Calling it "Grace for Grace," a Walmart employee contacted The Batavian and said employees have set up a clear box at the customer service desk for well-wishers to drop off get-well cards for Grace Suozzi.

Cards can also be mailed to Grace Suozzi at the store, Walmart, 4133 Veterans Memorial Drive, Batavia, NY 14020

Previously:

• Walmart greeter, age 70, seriously injured after allegedly being punched by 26-year-old woman
• Witnesses describe combative situation after Walmart employee asked to see receipt

Dora L. Poodry, 18, of Shanks Road, Basom, is charged grand larceny, 3rd. Poodry is accused of stealing cash from a residence on Shanks Road over a period of four months totally more than $3,000. Poodry was jailed on $10,000 bail. The case was investigated by Deputy Kevin McCarthy and Investigator Kris Kautz.