Benjamin Santiago Jr.

A suspect in last night's assault on Ellicott Street was arrested in Rochester and the allegedly stolen vehicle he was driving was recovered.

Benjamin J. Santiago Jr., 30, of Batavia, is accused of going to the home of Mark E. Collier, 35, at 9:15 p.m. to demand money of Collier, who has previously given charitable donations to Santiago, according to Batavia PD.

Collier denied Santiago's request and Santiago became upset, police say. He is accused of striking Collier several times with a blunt instrument causing significant injuries.

Santiago then allegedly stole items from the home and fled.

Collier was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital, alert and conscious, and is currently in stable condition.

Police say Santiago stole a bicycle after fleeing the scene and then stealing a vehicle from a residence in the Town of Batavia. Santiago apparently made it to Rochester where he was apprehended by Rochester PD.

Santiago is charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery.

Santiago has been arrested previously in and around Batavia, including a case involving problems at a local hotel that led to a multi-agency manhunt 2011. The two brothers in the case were later accused of trying to hire somebody to kill Santiago. Eventually, that case led to a prison term for Santiago. He was most recently accused of stealing $800 in tools from Crocker's Ace Hardware in Le Roy.

Police say:

This is an ongoing investigation. Members of the Batavia Police Department will be in the area between State St. and Ross St. attempting to locate additional evidence. If anyone observes any items that appear suspicious or may be of evidentiary value, please do not touch or move them. Contact the Batavia Police Department at (585) 345- 6350 to inform them of the item. A member of our Department will respond to investigate the item.

Assisting Batavia PD were City fire, the Sheriff's Office, Rochester PD, State police, and Mercy EMS.

Previously: Person reportedly assaulted on Ellicott Street in the city

On Saturday, Assemblyman Steve Hawley hosted his annual e-waste recycling event, and as usual, there was a long line of cars going through the parking lot at 5130 E. Main St. all morning.

You may have noticed, since last fall, we've been ramping up our video production.

Last month, The Batavian published 46 videos.  

In the past week, I've received several favorable comments about our videos.  It's always helpful to get feedback so I appreciate hearing what people think.

I hope you've been enjoying them, though I know not all of you have been watching them, which is kind of the point of this post.

Longtime readers know I worked hard over the years to become a better photographer. I'm taking the same approach with video. I'm working hard to learn how to shoot and edit videos that don't waste your time, that are worth your time to watch.

My concern is that many people who consume online news have come across, over the years, a lot of poorly produced video from local news sites. My concern is that you associate local online news video with something that isn't worth your time so you don't even bother with it now.

I hope to convince you that the videos we're publishing on The Batavian are worth your time. And I do believe I've gotten better -- though I still have a lot to learn -- over the past several months; heck, even over just the past month.

So, please, if you haven't been inclined to watch our videos until now, give them a little time.  

Here are four videos from May that you might have missed.

City police and Mercy medics are responding to 218 Ellicott St. for the reported victim of an assault.

The location is between Center and Liberty streets.

UPDATE 9:39 p.m.: This conflict was not the result of a domestic violence incident. The victim was conscious and alert when loaded into the ambulance.

UPDATE 10:12 p.m.: A female at the scene said she glanced out her window and said a male in jeans and a (dark) gray sweatshirt with the hood up on his head -- so she couldn't see his face -- pushed a door to an apartment there with his foot and said "What's up, man?" The witness said the scenario "looked like someone goofing off and drunk," and "it seemed legit" so she walked back to her bedroom. Her son walked around to the scene and someone called out for somebody to call the cops because a person had been struck and "there was a lot of blood." Assistant Batavia Police Chief Todd Crossett said a person knocked on the door, gained entry to an apartment, hit the victim on the head with an unknown object, then fled the scene. The male victim was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital alert and conscious. Police are now searching the area around Central Avenue for the suspect at large.

An ATV accident in Oakfield with the driver suffering traumatic injuries to the face is reported on U.S. Gypsum Co. property, a half mile off Hutton Road. Oakfield Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding.

A routine Sunday service at EverPresent Church in Downtown Batavia turned into alarm and some confusion around 12:30 today when a little boy in the toddler room was grabbed by a male guest and brought into the sanctuary while Pastor Jason Norton was preaching.

The man was immediately approached by ushers and he left the child, exited the building, and drove off in his blue Toyota. No one was injured. Someone snapped a photo of his license plate.

After communicating with nursery workers, the Emergency Dispatch Center was called straightaway and Norton said this afternoon that police are investigating the incident, which was dispatched as a "suspicious condition."

Norton would not identify the guest, but said he is elderly, from Rochester, and has only been living in Batavia for a couple of months and has attended services alone at 4 Batavia City Centre about four or five times. The pastor said he has no other information about him or his mental health.

"He seemed nice enough," Norton said. "But you never know."

The church, now in its sixth year, has about 50 to 55 congregants. A couple of young women volunteer for childcare during services and there is a security team in place that keeps an eye on things.

The guest that abruptly went into the nursery, though he had no family members there, had left the sanctuary to go to the men's room, which is in the same area as the nursery.

A nursery volunteer told Norton he attempted to grab one child and was asked about permission or family ties, something to that effect, confusion ensued, and he grabbed the tot's brother instead, proceeded to the sanctuary, and sat down.

"It happened so quickly," Norton said, adding that initially they were reluctant to talk about the incident publicly, thinking it made their security look weak.

"I said 'Maybe it is weak. We need to tighten things up,' " Norton said. "We don't know our weaknesses until they're exposed. This kind of thing can happen anywhere. That's the world we live in today. No one was hurt. It could have ended much differently."

Norton said the man "has been trespassed" -- meaning he will not be allowed back on the property.

For initial post, click here.

A vehicle has flipped over a guardrail and into the water at 852 Bloomingdale Road, Basom.

Both occupants are out of the vehicle and have only minor injuries.

Alabama fire and Mercy EMS dispatched.

UPDATE 4:54 p.m.: Reader submitted photo. According to a source at the scene, the location was at Judge Road and Feeder Road. The occupants self-extricated and obtained a ride to Two Eagles Smoke Shop where they were able to call 9-1-1 because of poor mobile reception at the location of the accident. Both patients signed off with minor injuries.

A suspicious condition was reported by a person at EverPresent Church in Batavia City Centre after a male went into the toddler room, got a child, and brought the child in the main church service. When an usher asked for the child back, he did so, then left in a blue Toyota.

City police are responding.

Red Osier Landmark Restaurant is the biggest sponsor of the American Warrior Festival series of concerts and so Dan Clor has held an annual party at Red Osier to thank Steve Foster and Tim Adams for their support.

This year, the party was a BBQ using the new smoker acquired by Red Osier.

The appreciation is mutual. The dinner was Friday evening.

Friday, John Kennedy School hosted its annual Mothers and Sons Mud Run.

Photos by Jim Burns. Video by Howard Owens.

Today we spoke with neighbors of Michael Paladino Jr., and a childhood friend who stopped by his apartment on Ross Street in her grief over learning the news of Paladino's death.

Paladino, 43, was stabbed to death last night while coming to the aid of a woman who was allegedly being attacked by Quinton Edmonds.

Edmonds has been charged with murder.

Previously: Batavia man killed while trying to assist woman being attacked on Ross Street

The Batavia Blue Devils beat Geneva 9-0 behind an Alex Hale one-hitter at Wayland-Cohocton today to win the school's first sectional title in baseball since 1998.

Submitted photo.

A Ross Street man was stabbed to death last night outside of his apartment after trying to come to the aid of a woman who was under attack.

Police have identified the victim as Michael R. Paladino, 43. The suspect is Quinton Edmonds (above photo), a former parolee from Rochester who is well known to police, said Chief Shawn Heubusch.

Heubusch said the investigation at this time indicates that Edmonds was in a vehicle in the City when an argument began between Edmonds and at least one of the two women in the vehicle with him. The vehicle stopped on Ross Street and the argument continued outside the vehicle.

"Edmonds exited the vehicle and began striking one of the female subjects from the vehicle," Heubusch said. "Michael Paladino, who was in his apartment, heard the altercation taking place and went outside to intervene and assist the females. Edmonds and Paladino got into a physical altercation and Edmonds either stabbed or cut Paladino several times with a sharp instrument causing his injuries. Edmonds then fled the scene on foot."

The weapon has not yet been recovered.

Emergency dispatchers received a call of a disturbance at 5/7 Ross St. at 12:44 a.m.

Paladino suffered multiple stab and cut wounds to his upper torso and head.

"Paladino collapsed in the entryway of his apartment," Heubusch said.

The women in the vehicle fled the scene right away and a police officer saw a vehicle driving erratically and stopped it in the parking lot just east of St. Joseph School. 

"At the time that the officer observed the vehicle driving erratically, he thought that he possibly had a DWI situation, so he pulled the vehicle over and at the exact same time dispatch was receiving phone calls of this disturbance that took place on Ross Street, Heubusch said.

"The officer was in the right place at the right time," the chief said. "The people from the vehicle identified Edmunds as he was approaching the traffic stop as the person that was involved in the disturbance. The officer did a remarkable job and taking him into custody all by himself and securing him for further investigation."

Edmonds is being charged with murder in the second degree and will be arraigned in City Court this morning while the investigation continues.

"We have interviewed multiple witnesses from that 5/7 Ross Street apartment," Heubusch said. "There were some other people within that apartment that did witness or heard what happened, so they are cooperating with us. We've taken statements from them.

"The officers are out today canvassing the area to see if there are any other witnesses that can come forward or any other potential video evidence that may be available from a home surveillance system or whatever it may be. They're also going to be working with the state police today."

Police are also actively searching for the weapon.

"This happened at one o'clock in the morning and the officers who were processing the scene, walking the area did the best they could to try and locate the weapon in question," Heubusch said. "But you know it is a very large area. There are officers out there now continuing the investigation looking for more physical evidence as well as, like I said, trying to find any video in the area and/or interviewing more witnesses and re-interviewing witnesses that may have been there last night."

Edmonds has asked for an attorney and is not providing information to police, Heubusch said.

Batavia police are well-acquainted with Edmonds, who is a frequent visitor from Rochester to Batavia, Heubusch said. While confirming that Edmonds was at one time on parole and has a criminal history, with at least one arrest outside of the county, Heubusch would not provide information on why Edmonds was on police radar prior to this incident.

State records indicate Edmonds was convicted in 2015 in Monroe County of criminal possession of a weapon, 2nd, and sentenced to two and a half years in prison. His parole ended in April 2018.

Paladino was transported by Mercy EMS to UMMC. He was pronounced dead at 5:05 a.m. by Coroner Don Coleman.

Heubusch said a family member was with Paladino when he died.

"It appears that Michael Palladino was trying to do the right thing and help somebody out," Heubusch said.

Before last year, Batavia had gone years without a murder in city limits, then there were two last year and now one in 2019. Heubusch said, though, he wouldn't call that a trend.

"Well, again in this particular case, we had a Good Samaritan that appeared to be trying to intervene in another physical altercation," Heubusch said. So as far as this one goes, this person was not from the City of Batavia. That's my understanding. His last known address is in Rochester. We do have that influence from Rochester that comes out here so I can't really speak to a trend."

The one common theme, Heubusch noted, is the murder suspects are all on, or were on, parole.

"There are a lot of people on parole in Genesee County," Heubusch said. "We've had good fruitful meetings with the parole officers and the administrators of the area, this parole area out of Rochester. There is a large caseload for the parole officers not just for Genesee County but across the state.

"And I think that is one of the issues that need to be addressed at the state level is the general caseload of parole officers. With the closing of prisons and the decriminalization of marijuana, potentially, I think the state, the governor's office, is setting up local jurisdictions for more violence, quite honestly."

(Initial coverage)

Video from the scene last night:

There were 87 graduates in the Class 2019 at the Le Roy HS commencement ceremony on Saturday, including Emma Lawrence, who was joined on stage by her father, Board of Education member Rich Lawrence, as she posed with her diploma with Principal Tim McArdle.

Miranda Keaton

Assistant Principal Lynda Lowe and Joshua Hamilton

Abigail Cacioppo was the valedictorian and Calvin Herrick the salutatorian.

Xachary Carr 

Alex Cole

Branson Jeanotte, Scott Keister, Jakob Ashley, Andrew Ayers, and Scott Bollin-Shggarts.

Batavia police responded to Ross Street for a report of a disturbance involving a person with a knife.

The subject is at large and said to be armed with a knife. He is described as a black male.

The victim reportedly has a significant stab wound in his side.

Mercy EMS and City fire responding.

UPDATE 12:51 a.m.: The suspect may have been located by the Richmond library.

UPDATE 1:52 a.m.: The victim suffered multiple serious stab wounds and was transported to UMMC, according to Sgt. Dan Coffey, Batavia PD. Coffey said that he doesn't have an update on the condition of the patient.

On Friday, the students in the Culinary Arts Program prepared their final projects for a group of judges. I happened to arrive in time for the last student of the day, Jose Vanegas, who made tacos and flan.

Jarett J. Locicero, 29, of West Main Street, Batavia, has been arrested following an investigation by the Local Drug Task Force and accused of selling fentanyl in and around the City of Batavia.

Locicero is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd, criminally using drug paraphernalia, 2nd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. 

Locicero is accused of selling fentanyl to an agent of the task force. 

At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly found in possession of an illegal knife, a crack cocaine smoking device, and suboxone.

He was transported to the Genesee County Jail and held on a warrant.

Batavia PD and the District Attorney's Office assisted in the arrest and investigation.

Batavia has a new Mexican food truck, Over the Border, from the Bender family -- Todd, Evan, and Ryan.

Evan said he hopes this is one of many different food trucks they plan to operate out of Batavia.  

Brennan Briggs, above right, received the BCSD Foundation Apple Award for May. The award was presented to him by Foundation Board Member David Chua, above left.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Batavia City School District Foundation lnc.'s Board of Directors is pleased to announce the latest recipient of the BCSD Foundation Apple Award -- Brennan Briggs. He was nominated anonymously and with great admiration to receive a foundation apple during the month of May. 

Determined and persistent are two words used to describe Briggs. Throughout his coaching and teaching tenure, Briggs has motivated his students and athletes to strive to do their best on and off the field.

He models positive character traits, which include respect and responsibility. He encourages to students to shine in their school and neighborhood communities. The foundation thanks him for being relentless in his drive for excellence and for his dedication to taking care of BCSD. 

The BCSD Foundation Apple award is given by a member of the school and/or local community to a Batavia City School District employee or volunteer. In the opinion of those giving the honor of this distinction, the awardee has gone above and beyond in their role and is being recognized by one or more people for these accomplishments.

Local artist, Mark Jensen, will be making each individual resin apple -- none will be exactly the same.

If you are interested in giving a Foundation Apple award, please submit your nomination form and $75 (payable to the BCSD Foundation Inc., 260 State St., Batavia NY 14020 att: Allison Chua). Nomination forms may be found on the district's Web page (at www.bataviacsd.org under Quick Links).

Community members with questions are asked to email us at foundation@bataviacsd.org