corfu

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.

George M. Hodges, 19, of 9 S. Lyon St., Batavia, and Daniel D. Williams, 20, of 20 Mill St., Batavia were both charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration. Batavia Police officers were at an Oak Street residence assisting the Department of Social Services in an investigation when the suspects allegedly yelled profanities at the officers and confronted investigators and attempted to prevent them from speaking to the residents.

Randy Johnson, 21, of 10182 Brookville Road, Alexander, is charged with criminal mischief and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Johnson allegedly took a vehicle without permission of the owner, and when confronted by the owner, Johnson allegedly caused damage to the vehicle. The incident was investigated by Deputy Chad Minuto.

Richard Jordan Franz, 19, of 9898 Simonds Road, Corfu, and Michael Richard Bitter, 19, 3198 Pike Road, Alexander, are charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Franz and Bitter were arrested after deputies came to an unspecified residence to investigate a reported suspicious circumstance and allegedly found Franz and Bitter in possession of marijuana. The incident occurred at 1 a.m. Saturday.

Hal D. Philips, 58, of 11096 Molasses Hill Road, East Bethany, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI, refusal to submit to breath test, failure to keep right and operating with a suspended registration. Philips was stopped on Molasses Hill Road by Deputy Kevin McCarthy for alleged failure to keep right at 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

Billy Joe Budziszewski, 18, no permanent address, is charged with rape in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child. Budziszewski is accused of having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl in the Village of Corfu. He was jailed on $10,000 bail.

An 11-year-old boy from Harpersville is charged with rape, having sexual intercourse with a minor, a criminal sex act and sex abuse. According to a State Police blotter item, the victim appears to be 11-years-old or younger. The arrest was made in Elba. The case remains under investigation.

A dump truck is on fire and reportedly "fully involved" near the intersection of Genesee road and Boyce Road in Corfu.

The Corfu Volunteer Fire Department has been dispatched.

UPDATE 12:54 p.m.: The truck is reportedly under power lines.  It is west of Boyce Road, well up a driveway.

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Troy Sanford Wescott, 25, of 717 Lemoyne Ave., Syracuse, is charged with petit larceny, harassment and criminal mischief. Wescott along with Harold G. Dings, 24, of 406 John St., Syracuse,  and Lyle R. Fish, 25, of 32 Gertrude St., Syracuse, allegedly entered Wal-Mart and put on clothing and other merchandise from the store. All three then allegedly cut a jacket from the store in an attempt to conceal more items inside of it. When confronted by store security, Wescott allegedly elbowed a woman employee of the store and started running. Dings and Fish then also ran from the store without allegedly paying for the items they had with them. A short time later, the trio was apprehended in the Batavia Downs parking lot by Deputy Tim Wescott and Sgt. Greg Walker. Dings and Fish are each charged with petit larceny and criminal mischief.

Jeanna M. Hattaway, 22, of 112 Jackson St., Apt. 2, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Hattaway is accused of shoplifting at Tops Market, 390 W. Main St..

Jimpce J. Etienne, 33, of 30 Buell St., Batavia, charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child. Etienne allegedly choked a woman in front of her child.

Bruce Ross, 19, of 41 Longs Lane, Corfu, is charged with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Ross allegedly spun the tires of his vehicle, causing stones to fly that struck another person and hit a parked car.

Larry S. Yoho, 37, of 5155 E. Main St.Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Yoho allegedly shoved a person during a dispute, and there was an order of protection in place regarding this person. Yoho was jailed on $2,500 bail.

George Michael Thompson, 32, of 310 Wilson Drive, Milton, Ontario, Canada, is charged with criminal mischief and endangering the welfare of a child. Thompson allegedly got in a argument with a woman at Darien Lake Theme Park and proceeded to cause at least $250 damage to a camping trailer owned by the facility.  A 12-year-old child was present during the incident.

A 17-year-old from Albion is charged with petit larceny for allegedly stealing $53 worth of merchandise from K-Mart.

Wendy M. Cilnyk, 25, of 9 Liberty Ave., Lancaster, is charged with DWI, refusal to take breath test and moving from lane unsafely. Cilnyk was stopped by officer Chris Camp on Pearl Street after police received several calls about an erratic driver.

Jane Amanda Richardson, 24, of 788 Route 33, Corfu, is charged with falsifying business records and petit larceny. Richardson allegedly falsified business records at the Elba Yellow Goose store. The case was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson.

A truck and motorcycle have hit at the intersection of Indian Falls Road and Little Falls Road, but the motorcycle rider is reportedly up and walking around.

An ambulance is responding.

UPDATE 10:47 p.m.: First responders are reporting no injuries.

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There may be some federal relief coming to Corfu and Darien for tornado damage clean up after all, according to Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Hawley announced this morning that the Genesee County communities will be included in an omnibus relief rquest to the Federal Inspection Team along with other counties recently damaged by severe weather events.

Federal relief requirements mandate that eligible areas damaged by storms must have at least 25 uninsured houses, or five damaged businesses, among other guidelines, which means Darien and Corfu alone may not qualify.

The single relief package would include Cattaraugus, Erie, Chautauqua & Allegheny counties, also hit by heavy storms recently, and Columbia, Rensaleer, Cortland and Chenango counties, which also suffered storm-related damage.

"We will continue to keep all residents and businesses who were adversely 
affected apprised of the progress regarding possible monetary assistance as a 
result of these catastrophic weather patterns of destruction," Hawley said in a statement.

Eric C. Smith, 21, of 15 Edwards St., Batavia, is charged with three counts of harassment and one count of disorderly conduct. Smith was allegedly involved in a fight in which he allegedly pushed and punched three individuals. Further, Smith is accused of urinating on the floor and walls at police headquarters while being processed. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Kevin Q. Thomas, Jr., 20, of 193 S. Main St., Batavia, is charged with harassment. Thomas was allegedly involved in the same fight as Smith, above, and allegedly pushed another person. He was jailed on $500 bail.

Thomas K. Lee, 14 Highland Park, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Lee allegedly stole items from the Kwik-Fill store in Batavia. He was jailed on $250 bail.

James S. Gibbs, 33, of 34 Vernon Ave., Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Gibbs allegedly sent numerous text messages to a woman he was barred from contacting. He was jailed on $5,000 bail.

David J. Alvarado, 27, of 2103 S. 9th St., Lafayette, Ind., is charged with DWI. Officer Dan Coffey suspected Alvarado of driving drunk after a traffic stop for allegedly driving without headlights. He is also accused of having a BAC of .08 or greater.

Robert Michael Browne, 48, of 282 Route 20 Road, Room #3, Darien, is charged with two counts of criminal contempt. Browne allegedly violated a court order by going to a residence in the Town of Darien which he had been ordered to avoid.

Charles J. Fetterman, 37, of Lockport, is charged with DWI. Fetterman was stopped by a state trooper after allegedly failing to keep right on Route 20 in Darien. He is accused of driving with a BAC of .10 percent.

Bryan P. Falictico, 20, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Falictico allegedly failed to keep right on Route 5 in Batavia, which led to a traffic stop by a state trooper. Falictico allegedly registered a BAC of .16 pecent.

William V. Mattucci, 53, of 414 Schenk St., North Tonawanda, is charged with DWI, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and driving left of pavement markings. Mattucci was arrested in Corfu by village police.

Cynthia L. Carlo, 44, of 10 Gaslite Lane, Batavia, is charged with DWI, with a BAC of .08 or greater and moving from a lane unsafely. Carlo was stopped on Route 98 by Deputy H.J. Carlson early Sunday morning.

Jeffrey J. Klar, 29, 7178 Lovers Lane Road, Cattaraugus, is charged with DWI, aggravated DWI with a BAC of .18 or greater, and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. Klar allegedly drove his car off a grass parking area on Sumner Road in Darien when he reportedly hit another car. He was stopped by a Sheriff's deputy on Sumner Road after allegedly trying to leave the scene.

Victor Trejo, 21, of 4238 West Ave., Elba, is charged with DWI and unlawful possession of marijuana. Trejo was stopped for allegedly speeding on Bank Street Road in Elba.

Luke W. Ritzenthaler, 26, of Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Ritzenthaler was allegedly found in possession of a pipe containing marijuana residue. He is also charged with operation a motor vehicle on a revoked license.

Patrick J. Lamendola, 48, of Rochester is charged with DWI. Lamendola was stopped by a state trooper for allegedly driving down the shoulder of Route 19 in Pavilion. Lamendola's BAC was reportedly .09 percent.

Catherine Dawn Yarington, 42, of 10051 Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with harassment. Yarington allegedly struck her daughter's boyfriend in the face.

Charles Bryan Harrington, 19, of 7762 Clinton Street Road, Bergen, is charged with petty larceny. Harrington allegedly stole $500 while employed at the Bergen Wilson Farms store.

Franis A. Meldrum, Jr., 32, of 1711 Indian Falls Road, Corfu, is charged with DWI. Meldrum was stopped by Village of Corfu police for allegedly driving left of the pavement marking in a no-passing zone. He was also charged with unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Bryan McWain Hargrave, 22, of 10692 Pavilion Center Road, Pavilion, is charged with petty larceny. Hargrave allegedly stole two 18-packs of beer and a bottle of water from the Wilson's Farms Store in Pavilion on July 12, at 5:17 p.m.  The alleged left was taped on the store's security cameras. On July 31, Hargrave was located and reportedly admitted to the theft.

Aaron F. Branton, 33, of 4022 Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI. Officer Dan Coffey reportedly observed Branton drive his vehicle over the center line on Main Street Saturday at 2:12 a.m. Upon investigation, Coffey concluded Branton was driving while intoxicated.

Andrew J. Rock, 23, of 144 State St., Apt. #3, Batavia, is charged with harassment. Rock allegedly made threatening phone calls to a woman acquaintance. He was placed in jail on $1,000 bail.

Douglas G. Goodwin, Jr., 18, of 130 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs and unlawful possession of marijuana. He was arrested Thursday at 1:54 p.m..

Eric C. Smith, 21, of 27 Dellinger Ave., Batavia, is charged with menacing and disorderly conduct. Smith is accused of making threats and acting in a threatening manner while at the M&T Express convenience store at 100 W. Main Road, Batavia, Sunday at 3:30 a.m.. Officer Bolles arrested Smith and took him back to police headquarters where he allegedly urinated on the floor, leading to the disorderly conduct charge. Further charges are pending regarding alleged property damage at the M&T Express.

Brad C. Doward, 19, of 16 Harvester Ave., Batavia, is charged with DWI and DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater. Doward was reportedly stopped on Oak Street by officer Camp for allegedly running a red light while turning right. During the traffic stop, officer Camp concluded Doward was allegedly intoxicated.

Larry S. Yoho, 37, of 134 W. Main St, third floor, Batavia, is charged with assault. Yoho allegedly assaulted another person Friday at 1 a.m..

Steven E. Ball, 35, of 11 1/2 Meadowcrest Drive, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt. Ball allegedly violated an order of protection that barred him from contact with a female acquaintance.

Warren T. Cotton, 32, no permanent address, is charged with petty larceny. Cotton allegedly stole jewelry from Lambert's Jewelers, 375 W. Main St., Batavia, on July 21 at 3 p.m.. Det. Pat Corona investigated the case.

Rob Ronald Rindell, 39, of 8897 Lovers Lane Road, Corfu, is charged with harassment. Rindell allegedly grabbed and pushed another person during a domestic dispute Saturday at 6:45 p.m..

Teresa Marie Ganzhorn, 19, of 4346 Batavia-Elba Townline Road, Batavia, is charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Ganzhone was allegedly driving a car without the owner's consent.

Jered E. Menichol, 22, of 4560 Walden Ave., Lancaster, is charged with DWI. Deputy Frank G. Bordonaro allegedly came upon Menichol's vehicle parked on the highway, blocking Harlow Road in Darien. Upon further investigation, Bordonaro concluded Menichol had allegedly been driving drunk. He was also charged with driving an uninspected vehicle.

Brian Robert Mruczek, 29, of 9214 Dorman Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment. Mruczek allegedly grabbed and pulled his wife's hair during a domestic dispute. A stay-away order was issued.

UPDATE: We just received arrest reports from the State Police for the first time:

Chrystal S. McCook, 23, of Batavia, and Christine A. Forte, 31, of Le Roy, were charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Forte was stopped for allegedly speeding on Route 63 in Oakfield on Sunday. Forte was issued traffic tickets for several alleged infractions, according to State Police.

Michelle L. Boccaccio, 38, of Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance and possession of prescription medication outside of its prescribed container. Boccaccio was allegedly found in possession of three Adderall pills without a prescription or a prescribed container after being stopped for alleged speeding on I-490.  Boccaccio was also allegedly driving on a suspended New York driver's license.

Jeremy H. Boyce, 26, of Lyndonville, is charged with DWI following a traffic stop for allegedly talking on his mobile phone while driving. Boyce is accused of having a BAC of .07 percent. Boyce was stopped at routes 5 and 77.

It may take a lot of volunteers to clean up Darien and Corfu following last Saturday's category 1 tornado.

Bill Clark, regional director for New York's Emergency Management Office, didn't make that prediction, but if you add up what he told Corfu and Darien officials yesterday afternoon, that's what it sounds like.

In order to trigger state or federal assistance, there needs to be 25 uninsured homes in the disaster area, and in Darien and Corfu there weren't much more than 25 homes total that were damaged.  It's likely most of them were insured.  For SBA assistance to kick in, there needs to be five businesses damaged. There may be only three businesses damaged in the tornado. It's unclear if farms can be included in that count, or if they are a USDA issue.

Corfu Mayor Todd Skeet said volunteer efforts are under way and are ongoing, but doesn't think that will be enough. In the end, he's looking for his state to step up and provide assistance.

Out at Petals and Plants, the first stop for Clark and his survey group, Jim Grant, father of the business owner, said if his son doesn't get assistance to haul way the greenhouse debris and rebuild the greenhouses, the nursery and flower shop will not reopen. The greenhouses were not insured.

But Clark and his team did survey the entire tornado zone yesterday and will file a report with the governor's office. Clark stressed repeatedly the importance of gathering thorough and complete data as the best way to make a case for assistance. It will take some time before we know the results of the findings.

If the Village of Corfu expects any state aid to help with tornado clean-up, it will have to prove it needs it.

New York Governor David Paterson this afternoon made a quick visit to Corfu along with State Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

The governor spoke with Corfu Mayor Todd Skeet in front of the Pedals and Plants Greenhouse on Route 33, a business that was destroyed by Saturday’s twister.

Paterson made the stop in Genesee County earlier this afternoon while en-route today between appearances in Buffalo and Rochester.

LISTEN: Governor Paterson speaks to Corfu residents

UPDATE (by Howard, 9:55 p.m.): Tim Yaeger, emergency management coordinator for Genesee County, and I spoke shortly after the governor's visit. He said state emergency officials will tour Corfu tomorrow to further assess the damage and the needs.

"The costs go up on a daily basis," Yaeger said, but declined to speculate on the estimated total cost at this point. 

The clean up work involves debris strewn over a three-mail area, fallen trees, damaged trees that need to be cut down and stumps that need to be removed. Yaeger also said the apartment building next to Petals and Plants is no longer inhabitable and the residents are being assisted by Red Cross.

The ownership of two vehicles that may have been part of business transactions between Scott F. Doll and Joseph Benaquist remains in dispute.

The ownership claims were at the crux of a defense motion heard by Judge Robert Noonan in court this morning.  Doll, who is accused of killing Benaquist in February, is seeking the return of the vehicles because a financing company wants to be paid for the cars.

The vehicles, a Pontiac G6 and a Chevy Malibu, are currently being held by the District Attorney's office because of their evidentiary value.  D.A. Lawrence Friedman opposes both vehicles being returned to Doll, as well as a minivan owned by Doll's mother.

Noonan will issue a ruling at a later date.

An attorney for the estate of Benaquist, Robert Tronolone, put the value of the two cars at $18,000. He said the cars should not be returned to Doll because they are the rightful property of the Benaquist estate.

Attorney Daniel Killelea, appearing on behalf of Doll, asserted that both cars belong to Doll. That Doll purchased the Pontiac at the Odessa Auction in order to resell it, and Benaquist had signed over title to the Malibu so it could be sold through the dealership operated by Doll and Benaquist.

Friedman alleges that the title to the Malibu was forged and that Benaquist had title and insurance for the car in his name and had used it as his own personal vehicle. Friedman also said Benaquist purchased the Pontiac so it could become his personal vehicle. Doll was supposed to complete payment for it though the company's account because private individuals can't buy cars at the auction.

Friedman indicated payment was never made. He further alleged that Doll borrowed money against the Malibu.

"The people presents this as facts, but it's pure speculation," Killelea said. "The records show Mr. Doll purchased (the Pontiac) and whether he purchased on Mr. Benaquist behalf is pure speculation."

Killelea said that after five or six months, the state should have gathered all the evidence it needs for trial from all three vehicles, so they should be released to Mr. Doll. 

Friedman said he wasn't going to concede that all of the evidence has been gathered nor that the vehicles would not be shown at trial to a jury.

Judge Noonan did not indicate when he would issue his ruling.

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Aerial photos of the destructive path of Saturday's tornado along Route 77 in Darien and Route 33 in Corfu. The photos were provided by the State Police and the Genesee County Emergency Management Office.

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Previously:

• Recap: Tornado strikes Corfu, damages homes and businesses, but no injuries reported
• Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed
• No injuries reported after tornado touches down in Corfu
• Corfu tornado videos submitted to YouTube
• Thunderstorm watch issued, nickel-sized hail expected
• Corfu tornado: Power lines down, buildings damaged, no injuries

It's too soon to say that life is returning to normal for residents of Corfu, which was hit by a category 1 tornado Saturday evening, but utilities have been restored and clean up work is under way.

State and federal officials will visit Corfu later this week and assess the damage to businesses.

Emergency Management Coordinator Tim Yaeger spoke with WBTA this morning.

Previously:

• Recap: Tornado strikes Corfu, damages homes and businesses, but no injuries reported
• Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed
• No injuries reported after tornado touches down in Corfu
• Corfu tornado videos submitted to YouTube
• Thunderstorm watch issued, nickel-sized hail expected
• Corfu tornado: Power lines down, buildings damaged, no injuries

Thankfully, says Corfu resident Mickey Zanghi, she and all her neighbors are safe.  When she looked out her window Saturday evening and saw a tornado bearing down on her neighborhood, she could hardly believe her eyes.

"All I said was, 'Oh my God, there is a 'ummm' tornado," Zanghi said (pictured, lower left), "and that was it. That's all you can think was to think of your family first and take cover."

The storm struck Darien first, then tore through Corfu just a little before 5 p.m., and only minutes after the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch that speculated about the possibility of a tornado forming in Genesee County.

No injuries were reported as a result of the short, intense storm.

The storm first touched down in Corfu at a business residents there call the Greenhouse, which is near the Pizza Pantry.

Louie Reeb was standing with some fellow members of his work crew at the Pizza Pantry and commenting on how nice it looked outside and the rain had apparently abated, but then the winds hit.

"We noticed how bright it had gotten," Reeb said. "The rain had stopped and the sun had come out so we were standing at the window and all the sudden the wind started picking up and you could see the debris flying along with it, so we just all scattered to get away from the windows. It was kind of weird. It looked so beautiful and then a minute later it had hit the house up the street and all the debris was just flying through the air."

The Pizza Pantry was unscathed in the storm, but the nearby Greenhouse was leveled.

At the town bar on Main Street, patrons were enjoying each others' company and beers on the porch when the weather suddenly turned ugly.

"We heard this huge roar, everything was swirling around, winds were blowing like crazy for about 15, 20 seconds, it rained like crazy and that as it," said Terry Paine.

In just a few short minutes, according to area officials, a rare event for Western New York -- a tornado -- ripped through Darien and Corfu, uprooting trees, knocking down power lines and and damaging homes and businesses.

"We thought it was a loud train going by, so we thought maybe it was a crash with a train, and we looked out our window and there was the tornado smack dab in front of us," Zanghi said. "There was a lot of destruction."

About 20 to 25 homes in Corfu, and another dozen in Darien, were damaged, according to officials. Most of the damage was mild to moderate, mostly caused by flying debris. Two homes in Corfu suffered more serious damage, but no homes were destroyed.

A trampoline came to rest on the roof of her house, Zanghi said.

There were some outbuildings and barns that were destroyed, officials said.

"It's very concerning that you want to make sure that none of your fellow friends or your family are involved or hurt, but the major portion of that was taken care of quickly," said Corfu Fire Chief Brian McMartin, who watched the tornado as it left Corfu from his back yard. "We did a rapid response, we did some initial assessment and that went pretty well."

Judy Levan, of the National Weather Service, described the tornado as a category 1 event (the most severe tornado is a 5) with winds up to 100 m.p.h. and a four-mile-long path about 100 yards wide.

"Those are preliminary numbers and we will be doing a fly-over tomorrow morning and we'll be able to firm up exactly what the damage path was," said Levan.

The last tornado to hit Genesee County struck in 1993 and claimed the life of a truck driver, Levan said. Paine said he remembered another tornado passing through Corfu some 20 years ago.

Previously:

• Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed
• No injuries reported after tornado touches down in Corfu
• Corfu tornado videos submitted to YouTube
• Thunderstorm watch issued, nickle-sized hail expected
• Corfu tornado: Power lines down, buildings damaged, no injuries

Video below is of the press conference later Saturday evening.  My camera is not working right, so I missed most of Tim Yaeger's opening remarks, but everything else came out OK.

UPDATE 10:54 a.m.:

We just received the links to the two tornado videos below shot by Cory Coles. They were shot with his cellphone.

Pictures submitted by Greg Crawford, a resident of Corfu.

Jay Terkel sends along this e-mail:

I was not home when the storm went past the house, but here are some pictures taken after it went . My wife said it sounded like a train coming through. The main damage was to houses to the east of us, Basically, it looks like the "tornado" came through damaging the trees in homes on the east side of Thompson Drive (we live at the west corner of Thompson and Main St.) the two homes on Main Street and the flower shop. Most of the damage is just trees, poles, wires, and windows, except a couple of sheds  at the flower shop and one house.

Jay took this picture:

 Audio:

• Corfu resident talks about seeing tornado and damage to her street

Above, a photo I took of the press conference late this evening.

Previous:

• Tornado hits Corfu, power lines down, Route 33 closed
• No injuries reported after tornado touches down in Corfu
• Corfu tornado videos submitted to YouTube
• Thunderstorm watch issued, nickle-sized hail expected

Below are the three Corfu torando-related videos that have appeared on YouTube so far.