August 2007

Homecoming - Tracy Baxter @ 10:21 am EST
Officials at the State Armory in Poughkeepsie were gearing up for a big celebration Friday afternoon. About 40 soldiers with the 727th Military Police detachment of the New York National Guard were returning home from Iraq after serving 15 months of active duty. During their tour of duty at Victory Base Complex in Baghdad, the detachment completed more than 11 hundred criminal investigations that involved illegal weapons and drugs. The military police unit also supervised and conducted law and order road patrols and force protection missions.

Pocketbooks Stolen - Tracy Baxter @ 10:15 am EST
Monticello police say Valerie Shaw apparently didn't learn her lesson. The 28 year old Smallwood resident reportedly walked into an attorney's office in Monticello Wednesday and told a secretary she had an appointment. When the secretary's back was turned, police say Shaw grabbed her pocketbook and ran out. But office employees ran after her and Shaw dropped the purse and ran into a nearby wooded area. Then about 45 minutes later, police say Shaw walked into a hair salon and asked to make an appointment. She then grabbed another pocketbook and ran off. Shaw was later picked up and charged with felony grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. The stolen merchandize was recovered. Police say Shaw had a crack pipe in her possession at the time of the arrest.

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Cabbie Robberies - Tracy Baxter @ 12:23 pm EST
Newburgh city police have been investigating 6 armed robberies of taxi cab drivers and they've arrested a man...they say..is responsible for at least 2 of them. Police have charged 20 year old Christopher Johnson of Newburgh with two counts of first degree robbery. A cab driver was cut in one of the knife-point robberies. Police don't believe Johnson was solely responsible for the recent cab driver robbery spree.

Tickets Issued - Tracy Baxter @ 12:20 pm EST
Goshen Village Police have ticketed a truck driver for creating a situation that led to a damaging fire at a business building Wednesday afternoon. The building at number 25 St. John Street was condemned after the fire damaged the offices of Cullen's Communications and Dr. Franco Rossi. Police say their investigation determined that the fire was caused by live wires that ignited the roof and that a box truck leaving the rear of the building pulled down the wires. The driver, 52 year old Bruce Knebel of Sussex New Jersey, was ticketed for failure to provide proof of insurance, unlicensed operation and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Monday, August 27, 2007

Heroic Citizen - Tracy Baxter @ 1:38 pm EST
New Windsor police got the call Saturday night.....a teenager walked into the Stewart Shop on Old Temple Hill Road and demanded money from the store clerk after pulling out a gun. A person in the store saw what was happening and tackled the robber who then broke free and ran from the store and drove off. But another witness got the license plate number and a short time later Town of Cornwall police pulled the car over. 16 year old Thomas Kramer of Monroe has been charged with robbery, assault and criminal use of a firearm. They recovered a B-B pistol that was used in the robbery. Police say the man in the store wants to remain anonymous.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

"Green" Debate - Tracy Baxter @ 12:00 pm EST
Is a proposed new county lodge building for the Orange County Park in Montgomery environmentally friendly enough? The County Legislature's Physical Services Committee says no and that's creating sparks at the Government Center in Goshen. County Executive Ed Diana was looking for an additional 1.5 million dollars for the project to replace the existing lodge with a new Graham Skea Parks and Recreation Center...named in honor of the retired Parks Commissioner. But Committee members rejected the request, saying the building wasn't "green" enough and needs to be more environmentally compatible. The County Executive called the committee's vote "irresponsible" and a disservice to those who use the park.

Condemnation - Tracy Baxter @ 11:56 am EST
Dutchess County Executive William Steinhaus says the time has come to play hardball. He's beginning condemnation proceedings that would have the county take 43 acres of property so it can link up regional rail trails in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie. Steinhaus says he's taking the action because the landowner, CSX Transportation, has been stonewalling the county's acquistion of the abandoned railroad property by saying the land is worth more than 6 million dollars. Steinhaus says the county offered 2 million and has gotten no counter-offer a year later. Now he says the county will take the land by eminent domain and ask a judge to set a fair price.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Highway Death - Tracy Baxter @ 10:30 am EST
An autopsy is expected to determine whether any existing medical condition might have contributed to a car crash Tuesday night that took the life of an elderly woman in Hurleyville. 76 year old Joan Foley of Fallsburg was pronounced dead at the scene. State Police say the car she was driving went out of control and overturned on East Mongaup Road near Big Woods Road in Hurleyville.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Child Abuse - Tracy Baxter @ 12:20 pm EST
Governor Spitzer has signed legislation aimed at strengthening the reporting requirements in instances of suspected child abuse. The new provision requires social service workers to refer all cases of possible child abuse to the state hotline and that automatically triggers an official investigation. There was previously no requirement for social service workers to refer incidents that they were informed about by a third party. The new law was prompted by a case in Schenectady where a person in a motel reported a child being assaulted in the next room. There was no follow-up investigation. The child was found two weeks later...severely beaten and burned with bleach.

Deli Burglary - Tracy Baxter @ 11:37 am EST
The owner of the Scotchtown Deli in the Town of Wallkill made a heartbreaking discovery when he arrived at the store Tuesday morning. Someone had broken in and left with about 16 hundred dollars in cash. Town of Wallkill police say the break-in at the store on Route 211 happened sometime between 11pm and 7:30am. Police say the burglar or burglars got in by pulling an air conditioning unit out of a store window.

Monday, August 20, 2007

River Swim - Tracy Baxter @ 11:24 am EST
Something seemed fishy when a Town of New Windsor police officer discovered a car at Plum Point Park near the Hudson river late last night. A search of the park turned up no sign of anyone so a rescue boat was launched. 31 year old David Rogers of New Windsor was found floating in the Hudson about 200 yards from shore. He told police he swam across the river to Beacon then got tired trying to swim back. Rogers was charged with trespass and a computer check determined he was wanted in the State of Florida on a felony traffic warrant.

River Drowning - Tracy Baxter @ 11:21 am EST
A teen from New Jersey has been identified as the victim of a drowning incident Sunday afternoon in the Delaware river near Narrowsburg. 17 year old Anderson DeFreitus of Elmwood Park New Jersey became the third teen to drown in the Upper Delaware this year. His body was found in 10 feet of water about 15 minutes after he went under while swimming. He had been in the area on a family camping trip.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Former Police Chief - Tracy Baxter @ 12:35 pm EST
An Orange County grand jury was in the middle of hearing evidence in his case but that investigation is over, now that former Village of Tuxedo Park police chief Robert Culhane has pleaded guilty. The former chief pleaded guilty to a charge of felony grand larceny for stealing more than a thousand dollars. It was money that had been donated to the P-B-A for police department equipment. Orange County District Attorney Frank Phillips says Culhane used the money to buy computer equipment that his kids used at home. An investigation continues into possible wrongdoing by other former Tuxedo Park police department members. The D-A's office is recommending that Culhane be sentenced to at least 6 months in jail and 5 years probation.

Fatal Motorcycle Crash - Tracy Baxter @ 11:43 am EST
A New Paltz man died Thursday evening when his motorcycle collided with a car in Bloomingburg. 48 year old Terrence Sheehan died after being airlifted to Westchester Medical Center. State Police say his motorcycle hit a car that was turning into Sunset Circle at the intersection with Burlingham Road. The driver of the car, Matthew Riccio of Bloomingburg, was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way.

Jail Investigation - Tracy Baxter @ 11:37 am EST
It cost 95 million dollars and was delayed for more than two years and now Ulster County officials will try to find out why. A special committee investigating the jail has called 17 people to testify later this month. They include past and present leaders as well as those involved in the construction of the new Law Enforcement Center in Kingston. A special panel has been conducting interviews but this will represent the sworn-testimony phase. The hearings begin Monday August 27th at the County Office Building in Kingston.

V-A Site? - Tracy Baxter @ 11:33 am EST
When a new Orange Regional Medical Center facility is constructed in the Town of Wallkill, Orange County Executive Ed Diana would like the Veterans Administration to consider using space in the existing Horton and Arden Hill campuses. Diana says the use of those locations would make sense since about 60 percent of the veterans served by the Castle Point V-A hospital are Orange county residents. The County Executive says the move would help offset the potential downsizing at the Castle Point and Montrose V-A facilities.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Guilty Verdict - Tracy Baxter @ 11:51 am EST
A Poughkeepsie man faces prison time after a Sullivan County Court jury convicted him of charges that involved a high-speed incident on the Quickway back in March. After about two hours of deliberations, Lance Majors was convicted of felony driving while intoxicated, as well as reckless endangerment and driving without a license. Majors was pulled over in the Town of Liberty after hitting speeds of more than 100 miles an hour. Majors was driving drunk and had his 11 year old daughter in the car at the time.

Middletown Burglary - Tracy Baxter @ 11:48 am EST
Another Middletown city official has become a crime victim. City police are investigating a burglary at Tom's Market on Sproat street. The burglar got in through a rear window late Tuesday night and took an undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes. Tom's Market is owned by First Ward City Alderman Tom Burr. Last month the Horton Avenue home of Middletown Mayor Marlinda Duncanson was broken into.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Hammer Attack - Tracy Baxter @ 11:47 am EST
An argument between a homeowner and contractors exploded into violence late Tuesday in the Otisville area. State Police say it happened at the Mapes road home of 53 year old Alfred Torres. Investigators say he got into an argument with several construction contractors and walked out of the house with a rifle which he shot into the ground near one of the contractors. He then went back inside and came out with a claw hammer and hit one of the men. The victim suffered a broken clavicle. Torres was charged with felony assault and reckless endangerment.

Flood Loans - Tracy Baxter @ 11:44 am EST
Victims of the Catskill flooding back in June are now eligible for low-interest loans from the federal Small Business Administration. The loans can be used to help repair or replace cars, furniture, appliances and clothing not covered by insurance. Homeowners may borrow up to 40 thousand dollars to replace damaged items and up to 200 thousand dollars to replace a primary residence. Business owners are also eligible for disaster loans of up to 1.5 million dollars.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Transfer Station Fire - Tracy Baxter @ 1:44 pm EST
A fire early Tuesday morning has led to the temporary closing of the Orange County solid waste transfer station in the Town of Newburgh. The blaze began in one of the garbage pits and damaged a building that contained it. There were no injuries to firefighters or county employees. The section of Route 17K between Route 300 and Fletcher Drive was closed for more than three hours. The garbage transfer station will remain closed until Thursday for residential users. Those who go to the facility will have to use the New Hampton transfer station in the interim. There was no word on a possible cause of the fire.

Non-Jury Verdict - Tracy Baxter @ 12:55 pm EST
A Middletown man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 12 year old girl. 40 year old Victor Cabrera was arrested last November after he asked his 12 year old neighbor to come to his house to fix his My-Space page on his computer. When the girl came over, Cabrera made sexual advances. He was found guilty of sexual abuse in a non-jury trial and faces a year in jail and 6 years probation. Cabrera will also have to register as a sex offender.

Identity Theft - Tracy Baxter @ 12:47 pm EST
A Newburgh woman has been charged with identity theft for stealing from a Town of Deerpark resident for the past 18 months. State Police say 50 year old Tonya Thompson used personal information from the Deerpark resident to open a bank account, get two credit cards, get cable service, and dental care....all by using the victim's personal information. Besides identity theft, Thompson was also charged with falsifying business records. State Police say she got several thousand dollars worth of goods and services from the crimes.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

Fatal Accident - Tracy Baxter @ 10:20 am EST
A Middletown man was killed and another seriously hurt in an accident on the campus of Rockland County Community College. Police say 54 year old Dale Post of Middletown was killed and 30 year old William Maxwell of Middletown was injured when the hydraulic lift they were using, failed and then dropped them. The men were working for Lite-Brite Signs of Middletown and were installing a sign at the college fieldhouse in Suffern. The Sheriff's office said the arm of the cherry picker style lift failed, dropping the workers to the ground.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Flooding Victim - Tracy Baxter @ 12:11 pm EST
State Police have confirmed the recovery of the remains of a Livingston Manor woman who disappeared after being swept away during the flash flood last June in the Catskills. A seasonal resident found the remains of 74 year old Barbara Cooper Saturday afternoon on the banks of the Beaverkill river in the Town of Hancock. That's about 12 miles downstream from where her overturned S-U-V was discovered in the Town of Colchester. Scuba divers recovered the bodies of Fred and Marjorie Shutts shortly after their house was swept away June 20th. A fourth victim, Gertude Melvin, remains missing and is presumed dead.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Mail Fraud - Tracy Baxter @ 1:27 pm EST
A former Poughkeepsie insurance agent is due to go on trial in September on charges he ran a phony insurance scheme that victimized 240 people including a Dutchess county woman who had to file for bankruptcy. 49 year old Jeffrey Seifts was charged with 4 counts of mail fraud and could get up to 20 years in prison if he's convicted. An investigation by the State Insurance Department found that Seifts falsified information on applications for health insurance that he sold to people in Dutchess, Ulster and Columbia counties. The investigation determined that Seifts failed to send MVP Health Care more than 60 thousand dollars in premium payments and that he collected more than 13 thousand dollars in unauthorized fees.

Impeachment? - Tracy Baxter @ 1:21 pm EST
A group of Orange county residents want Congress to push forward with impeachment proceedings against President Bush and the group ....Citizens for Impeachment... will meet next Tuesday to begin their own push. They say the Bush Administration is guilty of willfully violating U-S laws, lying about the Iraq war and undermining the Constitution. The meeting of Citizens for Impeachment is Tuesday August 7th at 7pm at Wisner Barn...at 30 Wisner Road in the Town of Warwick.

Hamptonburgh Fatal - Tracy Baxter @ 1:17 pm EST
An elderly Walden woman died late Thursday after a car driven by her husband reportedly failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign and slammed into another car in the Town of Hamptonburgh. 85 year old Frances Milligan died after being rushed to Arden Hill Hospital. It happened at the intersection of Maybrook Road and Route 208. State Police say 92 year old Donald Milligan drove through a flashing red traffic light and collided with a car driven by 51 year old Gregory Steinstra of Goshen. Both Donald Milligan and Steinstra were not seriously hurt. An investigation will determine if any charges will be filed.

Thursday, August 02, 2007

Murder Guilty Plea - Tracy Baxter @ 10:37 am EST
A Kingston man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a second degree murder charge for killing his girlfriend last October. 28 year old Juan Alberto Rodriguez Santos could get 20 years to life in prison when he's sentenced in September. Santos, who is an illegal immigrant, admitted to repeatedly stabbing Irma Vega Soto and then dumping her body in a wooded area of East Kingston. He told police he attacked Soto because she wanted to break up with him.

Vehicular Assault - Tracy Baxter @ 10:35 am EST
A motorcyclist is facing criminal charges following a collision that seriously injured his passenger Wednesday evening in New Windsor. Police say a motorcycle driven by 50 year old John Mann of Washingtonville hit another vehicle on Station road. The people in the car weren't hurt and Mann suffered minor injuries but the passenger on his motorcycle, 45 year old Robin Post of Washingtonville, was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center with critical injuries. John Mann was charged with vehicular assault, reckless driving and driving while intoxicated.

Gilman Center - Tracy Baxter @ 10:32 am EST
Ground was broken Thursday morning at SUNY Orange in Middletown for the Gilman Center for International Studies. It's in honor of long-time local Congressman Benjamin Gilman and it'll be an addition to the existing library on campus and will house papers and memorabilia from Gilman's more than 30 years in Congress including his tenure as chairman of the International Relations Committee. The Gilman Center will also be home to the SUNY Orange International Studies program.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Slate Hill Fatal - Tracy Baxter @ 1:13 pm EST
State Police in Orange county responded to a fatal, two-vehicle crash that tied up traffic for hours on Route 6 in Slate Hill early this morning. 57 year old Marie Griffin of Port Jervis was killed when her Jeep was hit by an on-coming car that had drifted across the double yellow line. It happened at 6:40 this morning at the intersection of Route 6 and County Route 56. Griffin was pronounced dead at Horton Hospital. The other driver...20 year old Colin Smith of New Hampton...suffered a broken arm and internal injuries and was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center. The investigation will determine if any charges will be filed.