Crime

Schoharie County: Still bedeviled by BB bandits

By Lissa Harris
2/21/12 - 3:30 pm

Across northern Schoharie County, mysterious BB-gun shooters are taking aim at cars and trucks, and no windshield is safe.

Despite the January arrest of four men in connection with the incidents, the BB shootings go on, the Times Journal reports:

State Police in Cobleskill and Schoharie County Sheriff Tony Desmond reported that 10 car and truck windows have been shot out since February 1.

That brings the total to at least 22 shootings since State Police arrested four young men in connection with the shootings in mid-January.

The more recent shootings have been concentrated in the area where earlier ones took place: Along Route 20 and side roads off 20 in Sharon, Carlisle and Esperance. Read more

Kingston teens arrested for Esopus car break-ins

By Lissa Harris
2/20/12 - 11:36 am

Kingston teenagers Dayshawn K. Allen, 17, and David M. Erickson, 18, were arrested around 3am this morning after Ulster County sheriff's deputies found them breaking into a car in the town of Esopus.

Allen and Erickson face misdemeanor charges of criminal possession of stolen property, possession of burglar's tools, and conspiracy.

A press release from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office reports that sheriff's deputies, a sheriff's K-9 unit, and New York State troopers responded to a 911 call of people breaking into cars on Sunset Drive in Esopus. Evidence obtained by the K-9 unit led officers to a specific area. Officers say they observed Allen and Erickson breaking into a car in the parking lot of Rondout Harbor, where they were taken into custody.

Allen and Erickson were released with appearance tickets and are due to appear in the Town of Esopus Court at 5pm on Feb. 27.

Sullivan County bank robber on the lam

By Lissa Harris
2/17/12 - 4:09 pm

The Times Herald-Record reports that Sullivan County police are looking for a man who robbed the First National Bank of Jeffersonville on Route 55 in Eldred around 10:20 this morning.

A description of the man:

He is described as being about 40-50 years of age, 6-feet tall, with a salt and pepper beard, wearing a tan jacket and gray hoodie, blue jeans and work boots. Police say he threatend the use of a firearm but did not display one.

Wallkill teen is seriously injured in alleged DWI crash

By Lissa Harris
2/17/12 - 11:03 am

An early-morning one-car accident on Route 208 in Shawangunk left 18-year-old passenger Faryn Presutti of Wallkill with a broken leg and possible internal injuries. Driver Alysia Quick of New Windsor, also 18, has been arrested on charges of DWI, unlicensed driving and traffic violations.

The Ulster County Sheriff's Office reports that Quick was driving north on Route 208 when she lost control of the car at what, from the description of the accident, must have been a truly astonishing speed. From the press release:

The vehicle struck two mailboxes, a tree and a road sign before hitting a raised portion of a driveway. At this point the vehicle became airborne and appears to have flipped end over end before coming to rest.

Quick faces charges of DWI, Speed Not Reasonable or Prudent, Failure to Maintain Lane and Unlicensed Operation. She will appear in the Town of Shawangunk Court on March 5 at 7pm, and may face additional charges. Read more

Police: New Paltz student arrested for taking hostages with sword

By Julia Reischel
2/7/12 - 5:16 pm

A SUNY New Paltz student suspected of being "under the influence of an unknown hallucinogen" was arrested today after allegedly taking several fellow students hostage with a Japanese katana sword, according to the Times Herald-Record:

Isaac Doughty, 18, threatened to harm himself and other students with a Japanese katana sword, according to SUNY New Paltz Police Chief David Dugatkin.
After Doughty herded several students from the common room of a dormitory suite into the bedroom of that suite, Dugatkin said he was persuaded by campus police to come out alone. But when he did not respond to officers’ orders, the officers used a taser and pepper spray to subdue him, an effort that was “minimally effective,” Dugatkin said.

Police were able to finally subdue Doughty. Police believe Doughty was under the influence of an unknown hallucinogen.

No one was seriously wounded, the newspaper reports.

Alleged New Paltz burglar busted

By Lissa Harris
2/6/12 - 4:31 pm

It took a month of investigation, but the New Paltz police have finally nabbed a suspect in a string of 20 commercial burglaries committed recently in the town. The Daily Freeman reports that 19-year-old Adam Keller has been charged with the crimes:

On Dec. 29, officers responded to a reported burglary at the Mud Puddle Cafe in the Water Street Market, police said. Police said in the weeks following, officers investigated 19 additional burglary complaints. During this time, members of the department, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office and SUNY New Paltz police followed up on leads and conducted numerous plain clothes patrols of businesses, police said.

Keller targeted specific businesses he believed did not have alarms and that could be accessed easily, police said. Police said he would force entry into the business through a window or door and steal cash. Read more

Kingston man arrested for assault

By Lissa Harris
2/2/12 - 11:37 pm

Ulster County sheriff's deputies arrested 39-year-old Kingston resident Christoforos Christoforou on second-degree assault and other charges this afternoon, after being called to investigate a report of a woman screaming for help at the Lake Motel in Ulster Park.

A press release from the Ulster County Sheriff's Office reports:

The arrest of Christoforos Christoforou age 39 of Madison Avenue in Kingston for the charges of Felony Assault 2nd, and the Misdemeanors of Coercion 2nd, Unlawful Imprisonment 2nd, Criminal Possession of a Weapon 4th and Obstruction of Governmental Administration. Read more

Church treasurer charged with stealing over $100,000

By Lissa Harris
1/30/12 - 2:56 pm

54-year-old Emma Maxwell was arrested last week, on charges of stealing over $100,000 from the Breakabeen/North Blenheim Presbyterian Church, where she was the treasurer. Several news outlets report that Maxwell turned herself in.

The Times-Union reports:

Authorities on Thursday announced the arrest of Emma Maxwell, 54, of Fulton on at least one count of second-degree grand larceny.

But details about how the theft occurred and over what period of time were not immediately available. Officials said they planned to hold a press conference on the arrest Monday.

ABC News 10 spoke with a neighbor: Read more

BOCES student rescued from ice pond in Liberty

By Julia Reischel
1/27/12 - 10:24 am

An 18-year-old student at the BOCES campus in the town of LIberty was rescued by state toopers, sheriff's deputies, and volunteer firemen from sinking into an icy pond on Tuesday, according to a press release from the New York State Police.

The teenager reportedly ran off the BOCES campus, into the woods, and attempted to swim across the ice-covered pond. When rescuers threw the him a rope, he refused to grab it, according to the press release.

Two rescuers, State Trooper Stephen Johnston and a volunteer fireman, had to follow the student into the pond to save him.

Here's the full press release from the New York State Police:

Liberty Troopers rescue BOCES student from a partially ice covered pond in the Town of Liberty Read more

Esopus man arrested after hit-and-run crash into neighbor's house

By Lissa Harris
1/13/12 - 7:35 pm

Tip for not getting arrested after plowing a pickup truck into the side of a house: Don't park your truck down the block.

The Ulster County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of 59-year-old Tom Beverley of Esopus on Thursday, after investigating an early-morning crash at 190 New Salem Road, in which a truck collided with a house hard enough to cause severe damage to the building.

Police report that they found Beverley's pickup truck parked at his home, just a few houses down the street at 208 New Salem Road, with pieces of the damaged house still embedded in the truck. From a Google search on the address, 208 New Salem Road appears to be an assisted-living facility called Hummel's Boarding Home.