byron

A fully involved farm tractor fire is reported at 5552 Cochran Cockram Road in Byron. It is in the middle of a field with no structures surrounding it.

Byron and South Byron fire departments are called to respond.

UPDATE (1:28 p.m.): The tractor fire is about a hundred yards from a house. The address is between Transit and Bank Street roads.

UPDATE (1:30 p.m.): The fire is knocked out but the fire units are requested to continue.

UPDATE (1:35 p.m.): A fireman reports that the fire has rekindled itself.

UPDATE (1:51 p.m.): The fire is reported to be completely out and the firefighters are leaving the scene.

Anthony Vincent Aidrich, 33, of Kirkpatrick Street, Syracuse, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property. Aidrich is accused of possessing 75 stolen Darien Lake passes. Aidrich was allegedly found with the passes while trying to enter the theme park using an allegedly stolen pass. He was jailed on $10,000 bail or $20,000 bond.

Stephanie Ruth Cotton, 34, of 6319 Mechanic Road, Byron, is charged with a violation of probation. Cotton is accused of missing a probation appointment and failure to appear for sentencing in Genesee County Court. Cotton was arrested at 11:05 a.m., Friday, and was allegedly found hiding in her attic under insulation.

Jacob A. Staskiewicz, 24, of Batavia, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely. Staskiewicz was stopped at 2:26 a.m., Saturday, on Railroad Avenue, where his car allegedly hit a guardrail, by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Anthony V. Firman, 21, of 82 Gilbert St., Le Roy, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Firman is accused of violating conditions of probation. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Tim Christopher Fox, 41, of Drake Street, Oakfield, is charged with two counts of harassment, 2nd, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Fox allegedly pushed another person during an argument. He then allegedly fell on two children while being restrained.

Lance A. Mercado, 20, of 110 Bank St., Batavia and Jeanne D. Fuller, 23, of 399 Manitou Road, Hilton, are each charged with harassment, 2nd. A friend filed charges against Mercado and Fuller, accusing Mercado of pushing him and Fuller attempting to hit him.

Sara J. Falker, 22, of 41 Maple St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Falker is accused of leaving her 2-year-old child unsupervised while at home with the child and of maintaining less than favorable living conditions.

Robert M. Freeman, 18, of 285 East Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Freeman is accused of egging a car on May 28, causing damage to the paint.

Joseph P. Urtel, 32, of 19 Pringle Ave., is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd. Urtel is accused of damaging the laptop of a female friend. Urtel was jailed without bail.

A 41-year-old dirt bike rider from Rochester was injured Saturday afternoon when he lost control of his bike while riding along abandoned railroad tracks in Byron.

Ernesto Rivera, of Portland Avenue, Rochester, was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital following the 4:14 p.m. accident with a leg injury.

Rivera was reportedly riding along tracks known as the West Shore Tracks when his bike hit a knoll and he was ejected from the bike.

No other vehicles or people were involved in the accident. No citations were issued.

A 26-year-old woman from Le Roy was charged with felony DWI last night after her car was destroyed by a train at the crossing on Caswell Road, Byron.

Jennifer Coombs was reportedly driving her 2002 Mercedes when it got hung up on the tracks.

A train struck and destroyed the car about 10:02 p.m. and Coombs and two passengers allegedly fled the scene.

Coombs was located by Sgt. Greg Walker a short distance from the scene.

She was also charged with unsafe lane change, unsafe tires and felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater.

(initial report)

A train has reportedly hit a car at the railroad crossing on Caswell Road in Byron.

Byron and South Byron and Mercy EMS have been dispatched.

UPDATE 10:10 p.m.: CSX officials believe the car was unoccupied; however, the South Byron chief has asked an assistant chief to check the other side of tracks (than what he's on) for two young girls.

UPDATE 10:12 p.m.: An engineer reports seeing the two people running south on Caswell.

UPDATE 10:17 p.m.: A deputy has detained one female.

UPDATE 10:19 p.m.: The engineer saw two young women standing near the tracks. One had long blond hair and the other didn't. The deputy has detained the one who doesn't. The car is registered to an address in Monroe County.

UPDATE 10:32 p.m.: Byron back in service.

UPDATE 10:37 p.m.: The second occupent has been located, and a third occupent has been identified and found.

View Larger Map

After completing some business in Byron, I wanted to take advantage of the great clouds in the sky and see what I could find to photograph. The barn and silo above was at the intersection of Bridge and Transit roads. Below, a barn in the village getting a new roof.

A Holley man who assaulted a Byron resident and then stole three long guns from him in April will serve four years in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

Darrell Bruce Reid, 45, who admitted to assault, 2nd, in May, said today that he was sorry for the attack and blamed alcohol for his behavior.

"I would like to say I'm sorry to (the victim)," said Reid. "I didn't mean for this to happen. Of course, the next day I was concerned that I hurt him bad. I did not intend to go there to rob that man or to beat him or to hurt him. There were some things said and alcohol provoked it."

While Reid has a lengthy criminal history, including prior felony convictions, both his attorney Billy Tedford and Judge Robert C. Noonan noted that this is Reid's first violent felony.

"I just encourage you to do whatever you can do in state system to get on the right track before you’re released," Noonan said.

Reid's mother and girlfriend both wrote letters of support and were in court during the sentencing.

Reid was also ordered to pay $1,900 in restitution to the victim for hospital bills.

An RV fire with heavy smoke is reported in a yard at 6854 Clinton St. Road in the area of Warner Road. It is near a barn and it is unknown if it is occupied. Byron, South Byron, Stafford and Le Roy fire and Mercy EMS is called to respond.

UPDATE (12:55 p.m.): The fire is contained to the RV and is under control.

UPDATE (by Howard): Fire crews cleared the scene at 1:41 p.m.  The possible cause was a fan left on to air out the trailer. The motor may have overheated.

Lucinda Dawn Barber, 40, of 141 Tracy Ave., Batavia, is charged with grand larceny, 4th. Barber is accused of stealing another person's wallet while in a check-out line at Walmart. Barber was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Robert J. Eppolito, 27, of 41 Maple St., Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harrassment, 2nd. Eppolito allegedly pushed a person while that person was holding an infant. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Gregory Robert Lyons, 21, of Dry Bridge Road, Alexander, is charged with trespass. Lyons was allegedly operating an all-terrain vehicle on the old railroad bridge over Creek Road.

Kevin J. Compton, 48, of 9791 Clipnock Road, East Bethany, is charged with DWI. Compton was stopped at 2:10 a.m., Sunday, on Lake Street for alleged failure to use a turn signal.

Adam M. Kreutz, 21, of Byron-Holley Road, Byron, is charged with a felony count of DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .18 or greater and felony unlicensed operation. Kreutz was stopped at 2:04 a.m., Saturday, by Sgt. Greg Walker on Route 237, Stafford.

Stacey Jean Donahue, 36, of Cook Road, Byron, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Donahue is accused of striking another person in the face.

Michael S. Miller, 24, of East Eden Road, Eden, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and moving from lane unsafely. Miller was stopped at 1:05 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy Chris Parker on Route 5, Pembroke.

Thomas M. Cromey, Jr., 33, of Chili-Riga Center Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Cromey was stopped at 12:07 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy Chris Parker, on Route 237, Stafford.

Ashleigh Lynn Daniels, 22, of Kent Road, Kent, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and speeding. Daniels was stopped at 12:36 a.m., Saturday, by Deputy James Diehl on Route 33, Pembroke.

Fernando Casteneda, 47, of Transit Raod, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th (unlicensed handgun). Deputy Chris Parker responded to Casteneda's residence at 9:52 a.m., Sunday, following a complaint of an alleged domestic dispute in which it was reported Casteneda had a gun. Casteneda is accused of possessing an unlicensed Hi Point 40 Cal semi-automatic pistol.

Lucus M. Hamlin, 32, of Canaseraga, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hamlin was charged for allegedly driving drunk in the Darien Lake parking lot at 12:16 a.m., Sunday.

Justin D. McQuillen, 21, of Freeman Road, Byron, is charged with DWI and speeding. McQuillen was stopped at 11:52 p.m., Saturday, on Route 237, Byron, by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Raymond William Schramm, 24, of W. Main St. Road, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Schramm was charged after a 4-year-old child reportedly entrusted to his care was found wondering on the shoulder of Route 5.

The following individuals were charged with disorderly conduct following an alleged fight at Darien Lakes Theme Park at 9:15 p.m., Sunday: Octavia M. Kimble, 19, of Rochester; a 17-year-old from Rochester; Tara B. Moore, 19, of Rochester; Corey M. Bogdanovitch, 21, of Waterloo; a 17-year-old from Rochester; Katlin C. Baily, 18, of Clyde; Tasia D. Blocker, 20, of Rochester.

Theodore D. Lazik, 27, of 73 River St., Batavia, is charged with DWI, running a red light and unlicensed operation. Lazik was stopped by Officer J.A. Davis at 10:35 p.m., Saturday, at the intersection of Main and Bank streets.

Katrina I. Drake, 20, of 21 Wood St., Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief, 4th. Drake is accused of breaking the window of a neighbor's house on Friday. She was located and arrested on Saturday.

Gregory Seppe, 52, of Batavia (no permanent street address), is charged with attempted petit larceny and criminal trespass, 3rd. Seppe is accused entering the rear fenced yard of a local resident and attempting to steal a portion of the white vinyl fence. Seppe was reportedly observed by the resident. Seppe was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Brittany LeeAnn Ellis, 21, of Mill Street, Nunda, was arrested on a bench warrant for petit larceny. Ellis was turned over to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office by the Livingston County Sheriff's Office.

A 17-year-old is charged with petit larceny and illegal entry into the country. The youth was allegedly caught concealing two bottles of cologne in his pants pocket. He allegedly left the Kmart store without paying for the cologne. After receiving an appearance ticket for the alleged petit larceny, he was turned over to ICE on the immigration charge.

A 16-year-old from Albion is charged with petit larceny for alleged shoplifting from Kmart.

Steven L. Maltese, 41, of Rochester, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Maltese was stopped by State Police at 12:05 a.m., Saturday, on Center Street, Batavia.

Keith J. Lyman, 37, of 47 Clark St., Brockport, is charged with harassment, 2nd. Lyman is accused of contacting a City Court employee by telephone and threatening that person. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Keith Joseph Lyman, 37, of 41 High St., Brockport, is charged with harassment, 2nd.  Lyman is accused of kicking a corrections officer while being booked on another charge.

Duffy Starks, 17, of 20 N. Spruce St., Batavia, was arrested for alleged failure to comply with the conditions of his release on a previous harassment and unlawful imprisonment charges. Starks was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Nicole M. Dellapenna, 23, of 6120 Byron-Elba Road, Byron, is charged with disorderly conduct. Dellapenna is accused of repeatedly yelling obscenities outside Billy Goat's bar on West Main Street. She was arrested at 12:48 a.m., Sunday.

LaToya D. Jackson, 24, of 4036 W. Main St., Batavia, is charged with disorderly conduct. Jackson is accused of yelling obscenities while on State Street. She was arrested at 9:50 p.m., Friday.

Kelly A. Sparks, 27, of 235 Orland Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI and refusal to take breath test. Sparks was stopped at 2:45 a.m., Monday, by Le Roy PD Officer Robert Tygart for alleged failure to give half of the roadway and alleged failure to stop for a stop sign.

Michael J. Tobias, 19, of 131 State St., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Tobias is accused of shoplifting at Tops Market.

Markeda D. Starks, 19, of 5 Wood St., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Starks is accused of approaching a person whom she was ordered to stay away from.

Jonathan Chad Sisk, 37, of Chili-Riga Center Road, Churchville, is accused of petit larceny. Sisk is accused of taking a BB gun from Walmart without paying for it.

A 16-year-old Batavia boy is charged with trespass. The youth is accused of entering a building on West Main Road, Town of Batavia, without permission of the owner.

Jose Juan Santiago Burgos, 21, of Telephone Road, Le Roy, is charged with criminal mischief. Santiago Burgos is accused of breaking the window of a tractor on Bethany Center Road.

Carly A. Herzog, 29, of 25 Morven Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and having a suspended registration. Herzog was stopped at 3:14 a.m., Saturday, on Church Street in Le Roy by Sgt. Michael J. Hare.

Gregory Seppe, 51, no permanent address, is charged with appearance in public under the influence of narcotics or drugs other an alcohol. Seppe was taken into custody after he appeared in the city at several different locations. At 11:05 a.m., Saturday, police responded to another complaint reportedly about Seppe at 412 E. Main St., Batavia, where he was taken into custody.

Mark E. Flemming, 20, of 62 Swan St., Batavia, is charged with harassment, 2nd. At 5:09 a.m., Sunday, Batavia Police responded to an alleged domestic incident and took Flemming into custody.

Megan Elizabeth Buss, 21, of Alicia Circle, Churchville, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 and moving from lane unsafely. Buss was charged following a car-into-pole accident on Peachy Road at 6:12 a.m., Sunday.

Kendric Lydell White, 27, of Affinity Lane, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. White was arrested following a vehicle check at Darien Lake.

Tyree Elijah Smith, 28, of Sunset Street, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Smith was arrested following a vehicle check at Darien Lake.

Paula Ann Kingdollar, 41, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Kingdollar is accused of stealing perfume from Kmart.

Edward Joseph Kutas, 18, of Woodside Lane, Depew, is charged with unlawful dealing with a child. Kutas is accused of hosting an underage drinking party at a residence on Darien-Alexander Townline Road. He was arrested early Sunday morning.

Brandon M. Klinkbeil, 23, of 80 South Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, not wearing a seat belt, and operating an unregistered vehicle. Klinkbeil was stopped at 2:41 a.m., Sunday, by Le Roy Police Sgt. William Hare.

Dennis N. Gonglewski, 49, of Colonial Avenue, Kenmore, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 and failure to keep right. Gonglewski was stopped at 10:45 p.m., Friday, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Three 17-year-olds were arrested for alleged shoplifting by Batavia Police 12:10 p.m., Friday and charged with petit larceny. All three youths are Batavia residents. The trio is accused of trying to steal $58.90 in merchandise from Tops Market.

Gordon C. Gonyo, 56, of Byron Road, Byron, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right and consumption of alcohol in a vehicle. Gonyo was stopped at 12:26 p.m., Friday, by Deputy Chris Parker after a witness reported an erratic operator in the area of Bryon Road.

Jeremy Andrew Douglas, 29, of Crosby Lane, Rochester, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Douglas was stopped for an alleged traffic violation by Deputy Brian Thompson at 6:40 a.m., Thursday, on Bank Street Road in the Town of Batavia.

A Holly resident who admitted robbing three long guns from a Byron resident, only to have his guilty plea hit a snag on May 10, completed the process this morning.

In the previous court appearance for Darrell Bruce Reid, 45, of 4 N. Main St., the prosecution presented a document for a previous felony conviction that turned out to be beyond the range, under New York State law, as a predicate felony for sentencing purposes.

But Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell presented proof of another felony conviction for Reid in Butte, SD, in which Reid stole a pickup truck in 2000 and was convicted of grand theft.

After confirming that with Reid, Judge Robert C. Noonan accepted it as a second felony conviction and set sentencing for 9 a.m., June 23.

Reid previously pled guilty to assault, 2nd, for robbing a Byron man of his guns last month.

Darrell Bruce Reid, 45, of 4 N. Main St., Holley, came to court this morning, apparently ready to plead guilty to assault in the second degree -- a charge stemming from an alleged robbery in Byron in which Reid allegedly stole three long guns.

But the guilty plea process didn't proceed like clockwork, which is usually the case.

First, Reid had a protracted whisper conversation with his public defender, William Teford, when Judge Robert C. Noonan informed Reid of the maximum penalty -- four years in State Prison -- for the assault, 2nd, charge he was about to admit.

After the conversation, Reid softly said, "yes" to Noonan, acknowledging the Judge's warning.

Noonan made note for the record of the long conversation.

A few minutes later, Reid entered his guilty plea and made a factual admission to hitting a Byron resident with a 22-caliber rifle.

At the end of the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Kevin Finnell asked the judge to make the factual finding that the assault, 2nd, charge is a second felony offense. But when Judge Noonan reviewed the paperwork, he noted that the only prior conviction listed was a 22-year-old DWI conviction. That can't count as a second felony offense for sentencing purposes under state law.

Finnell said it was a mistake and that he would have further information today on Reid's criminal history.

During Reid's last court appearance, on May 3, Noonan noted that Reid had more than 100 prior arrests.

If it turns out there are no qualifying felony convictions within Reid's recent history, his guilty plea this morning will not be valid, according to Noonan.

Another appearance in County Court for Reid was set for later this week.

A large tree and wires have fallen into the roadway at 6683 Warboys Road in Byron. Fire units in Byron and South Byron have been notified.

Wires have fallen into the roadway at Transit and Edgerton roads in Byron. Fire departments in Byron and South Byron are responding.

When New York reached an agreement with CSX for a high-speed rail line from Albany to Buffalo, it signed off on two provisions officials now seem to regret, according to the Buffalo News.

Rather than a rail line with trains reaching top speeds of 110 mph, the state's agreement only calls for speeds of 90 mph.

Also, the state agreed to a 30-foot gap between rail line along the CSX right-of-way.

The problem is, there are portions of the right-of-way that aren't even 30-feet wide, which means property will need to be bought (or seized through eminent domain) or overpasses will need to be reconstructed.

The resulting dispute between the state and CSX threatens to derail the entire upstate high-speed rail project — but to prevent that, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on Friday assigned a top federal rail official to try to resolve the issue.

“I promised Congresswoman Slaughter that FRA Deputy Administrator Karen Rae will work with the state and do whatever it takes to make high-speed rail happen for New York,” LaHood said after the meeting.

Slaughter, meanwhile, said she was thrilled that Rae — who was the state’s top rail official before moving to Washington — would be devoted full time to resolving the disagreement.

The rail line will pass through Genesee County, with a demonstration project already funded for a line between Byron and Riga.

A man accused of assaulting and stealing three guns from a Byron resident last week has a chance to make bail despite a lengthy criminal history.

Judge Robert C. Noonan, after saying he would have set bail higher had the prosecution request a higher bail, said Darrell Bruce Reid, 45, of 4 N. Main St., Holley, can get out of jail if he can come up with $50,000 cash or bond.

"I don’t think I’ve ever had anybody in who’s been arrested over 100 times before," Noonan said.

Reid is accused of hitting a Byron resident at 3:30 a.m., April 24, and stealing three long guns. The victim reportedly had only met Reid recently. He was hospitalized with a broken nose and cuts.

According to attorney William Tedford, from the public defenders office, Reid has spent most of his life in Western New York, except for three years in South Dakota. He has a child living in Chili and a mother, who has breast cancer, living in Rochester. Tedford said Reid was the only child living in the region who could help care for his mother.

Tedford asked for $15,000 bail.

District Attorney Kevin Finnell asked for $50,000 after stating that Reid had two prior parole and two prior probation revocations.

Reid is charged with with robbery, 2nd, assault, 2nd, and three counts of grand larceny.