July 2006

Stolen Cars - Tracy Baxter @ 12:24 pm EST
State Police say they'd use a flat-bed truck to steal cars from the Ellenville area ...then take the cars to area scrap yards and sell them. 24 year old Peder Behan of Hurleyville and 26 year old Jeffrey Donnelly of Greenfield Park were arrested following a month-long investigation. They've been charged with numerous counts of felony grand larceny. State Police say about 13 cars were stolen in the Town of Wawarsing area.

Stolen Deposit - Tracy Baxter @ 12:21 pm EST
Town of Wallkill Police and State Police are looking for the man who robbed a woman as she was about to make a night deposit at an area bank. It happened at around 2am Monday morning. Police say the man grabbed her from behind as she approached the night depository at The Bank of New York branch on Route 211 in the Town of Wallkill. The suspect then ran off. An undisclosed amount of money was taken.

A-T-V Death - Tracy Baxter @ 12:17 pm EST
A Bloomingburg man was killed Sunday night when the All-Terrain-Vehicle he was a passenger on, went out of control and crashed in a ditch. State Police identified the victim....25 year old William Russell. It happened off Ferguson Road in the Town of Mamakating. Investigators say at the time of the crash, Russell was riding on the A-T-V that was being driven by his 16 year old brother Timothy. Timothy Russell is currently in stable condition after being airlifted to Westchester Medical Center.

Homicide Investigation - Tracy Baxter @ 12:14 pm EST
Poughkeepsie City Police are hoping for some cooperation from anyone who witnessed a fatal shooting Sunday night on May Street. Police say they got a 9-1-1 call shortly before 10pm, reporting that a man had been shot. 29 year old Oscar Calderon of Poughkeepsie was discovered at 9 May Street. He was pronounced dead on arrival at St. Francis Hospital. Police say any calls with information will be kept confidential.

Friday, July 28, 2006

Officer Injured - Tracy Baxter @ 3:10 pm EST
A City of Poughkeepsie police officer was seriously injured early Friday morning when his marked police car was rammed by a pick-up truck that had run a red light. Officer Richard Poluzzi ....a 33 year veteran of the department...suffered head injuries and is in the intensive care unit at St. Francis Hospital. Police say his car was hit at the intersection of North Bridge and Mill Street shortly before 4 this morning. The pick-up then hit a building at 195 Mill. The driver, 30 year old Miguel Mojica of Wappingers Falls, has been charged with vehicular assault and driving while intoxicated.

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Felony Assault - Tracy Baxter @ 2:18 pm EST
Town of Newburgh police say a woman did not want to give up her purse to a robber and they say her tenacity helped them make an arrest. It happened Wednesday afternoon outside the Mid-Valley Mall. Police say the victim....a 36 year old woman from Wurtsboro...was standing in the parking lot when a car drove up and a man reached out ...grabbed her purse and drove off. But the woman held on....police say she was dragged about 250 yards before she let go and fell. 20 minutes later police tracked down the suspect. 20 year old Michael Noel of Yonkers was charged with felony assault and robbery. The woman was treated at St. Luke's Hospital for injuries to her arms, legs and head. Her purse was found in weeds near the suspect's car.

Oil Drilling - Tracy Baxter @ 12:05 pm EST
Senator Charles Schumer says the average two-car family in the region will spend about 800 dollars more for gas this year.....and that's why he says he has joined others in the Senate in approving a bill that would open up more areas in the Gulf of Mexico for gas and oil drilling. Schumer says if the legislation gets final approval, more oil from the gulf could be available in two years. The Fuel Economy Reform Act also would provide tax incentives to auto manufacturers that develop more fuel efficient vehicles.

Water's Edge - Tracy Baxter @ 12:00 pm EST
More senior citizen housing is coming to Port Jervis. State funding has been approved that'll be used for the construction of 12 rental units and a community room at the Water's Edge housing complex. The 1.8 million dollar project will create 12, one-bedroom apartments for low income seniors. To be eligible, the seniors' incomes cannot be more than 50 percent of the area median.

Blaze Orange - Tracy Baxter @ 11:55 am EST
A Dutchess county grand jury is using a hunting tragedy last December as a prime reason why the state should require hunters to wear the color...blaze orange...when they're out in the woods. The recommendation was contained in a ten-page report that involved the accidental shooting of Coleman Hagadorn. He was wearing khaki green and was fatally wounded by a fellow hunter in the town of Milan. New York is currently one of only 10 states that don't require hunters to wear some orange while hunting.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Gun Charges - Tracy Baxter @ 4:48 pm EST
An anonymous call may have helped Middletown city police head off tragedy Monday evening. A caller told police that a group of youths were heading to the Tall Oaks neighborhood with the intention of shooting someone. Sargeant Jerry Mishk says when officers arrived, they found 4 teenagers and a loaded handgun. 18 year olds Kevin Grant and Rashid Weston, as well as 16 year old Tamel Jackson-Breland were charged with felony weapons possession. A fourth teen...a juvenile...was not identified due to his age. Police say the 22 caliber handgun had a defaced serial number. Jackson-Breland was also charged with discharging a firearm. Police say he'd fired the gun before they arrived. No one was hit.

Rock Hill Fatal - Tracy Baxter @ 4:44 pm EST
The wife of a Sullivan county rabbi died Monday night when the car she was in...veered off Glen Wild Road and overturned near Rock Hill. 57 year old Sara Horowitz was killed and her husband...Rabbi Berisch Horowitz...was seriously injured. The driver and another passenger were not seriously hurt. According to the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department, Sarah Horowitz was not wearing a seat belt. The couple operated Camp Spinka in Glen Wild.

Grisly Discovery - Tracy Baxter @ 4:41 pm EST
A disturbing story out of the Town of Wawayanda. State Police say a Town Councilwoman...Gail Soro of New Hampton...discovered a severed horse's head in her backyard swimming pool Tuesday morning. The head had been put there sometime overnight. Investigators say Soro has been victimized in the past by acts of harassment but this incident is the most serious. State Police believe she's being targeted for her political position on local issues as a member of the Wawayanda Town Board.

Friday, July 21, 2006

Vehicular Assault Charge - Tracy Baxter @ 2:30 pm EST
A Town of Deerpark man is facing an assortment of charges for his role in an accident Thursday evening that seriously injured a 9 year old girl. Town Police say it happened shortly before 6PM on Guymard Turnpike in the Myers Grove section of the hamlet of Godeffroy. According to police, a car driven by 35 year old Jason Wilenken of Huguenot struck 9 year old Mirah Mirando while she was riding her bicycle on Guymard Turnpike. Police say Wilenken then drove off, dragging the bicycle three-tenths of a mile onto Route 209. Mirah was knocked off the bicycle. She was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center for treatment of internal injuries and broken bones. Wilenken was charged with the felonies of vehicular assault and unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle as well as driving while ability impaired by drugs and alcohol and leaving the scene.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

Robber Indicted - Tracy Baxter @ 12:39 pm EST
The man accused of pulling two armed robberies in Ulster county while disguised as a woman has been indicted. 30 year old Brian Johnson of Palenville was indicted for the robberies of the Catskill Country Store in the town of Woodstock in May and the Dairy Mart in Lake Katrine a month later. State Police say in both robberies Johnson was wearing women's clothing and a blonde wig. Police later recovered some of the stolen money and the women's clothing. Johnson could serve up to 25 years in prison if he's convicted.

Child Porn Indictment - Tracy Baxter @ 12:12 pm EST
An Ulster County grand jury has indicted a Kingston man on child porn charges. 52 year old Paul Wood was formally charged with three counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and 60 counts of possession of a sexual performance by a child. District Attorney Donald Williams says at the time of his arrest in January, Wood had more than 500 computer discs filled with child porn images. At the time of his arrest, Wood was employed at a local subsidiary of a mobile phone company.

Friday, July 14, 2006

Court Melee - Tracy Baxter @ 4:18 pm EST
Six people were arrested early Friday afternoon following ...what was described...as a melee inside a courtroom at the Sullivan County Courthouse. According to County Undersheriff Eric Chaboty, a verbal disagreement between people involved in a Monticello Village Court harassment case erupted into a fight that brought County Sheriff's Deputies into the courtroom. A court officer was slightly hurt after getting punched in the head. Deputies had to use pepper spray to restore order. 35 year old Earl Gomez of Monticello was charged with felony assault for allegedly striking the court officer. He was ordered held on a thousand dollars bail. Five others involved were charged with disorderly conduct. Village Court cases are being held in the County Courthouse because the village courtroom is closed due to a mold problem.

Site Clean-up - Tracy Baxter @ 2:10 pm EST
The City of Port Jervis has gotten some state money to help clean up the site of a former petroleum storage business. The city is getting a grant of more than 85 thousand dollars to investigate the contamination at the former State-Wide Oil property on East Main Street. An initial soil investigation found petroleum contaminiation and the grant money will go towards further testing and to determine what will be needed to clean up the 1.3 acre property. The city would like to reuse the land for a park that would include a picnic area, playground equipment and a skateboard park.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

New Leader - Tracy Baxter @ 2:40 pm EST
Orange Regional Medical Center has on their drawing board, the construction of a new facility in the Town of Wallkill and members of the hospital's Board of Directors have selected the person who'll be leading them toward that goal. It was announced Thursday that Scott Batulis has been named the new Chief Executive Officer for Orange Regional. Batulis comes to Orange County from HealthEast Care System ...a Minnesota-based health organization...where he's been since 1987. Batulis is replacing Jeffrey Hirsch who is retiring this month.

Joint Stabilization - Tracy Baxter @ 11:32 am EST
Middletown Mayor Marlinda Duncanson says the joint stabilization enforcement program in her city's downtown is paying off. Since June 24th, city police have gotten an asset from State Police and members of the Orange County Sheriff's Department in patrolling downtown...in response to a recent spike in crime. And from June 24th through July 9th, the joint enforcement teams have made 24 arrests including 2 felonies and 12 misdemeanors. The patrols will be continued throughout the summer.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Corrections Officer Indicted - Tracy Baxter @ 4:11 pm EST
A corrections officer at the Sullivan County Jail was named in an indictment handed up Wednesday. 42 year old Steven Duffy of Callicoon....a 17 year veteran of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department...was indicted on charges of criminal sexual act and official misconduct. Assistant District Attorney Jim Farrell says the charges stem from an alleged incident June 5th that involved sexual contact with a male inmate in the Sullivan County Jail. Duffy was relieved of his duties pending a civil service hearing. He was released on 10 thousand dollars bond and he'll be arraigned on the charges Monday. If convicted, Duffy could face up to 4 years in prison.

Attempted Cab Robbery - Tracy Baxter @ 12:04 pm EST
A cab driver in Monticello avoided getting robbed early Tuesday morning by driving the suspect to the police station. Police say the cabbie with the Sureway Taxi Company picked up a fare who then threatoned to hit the driver with a claw hammer if he didn't turn over his money. But instead of complying, the driver sped down Broadway and pulled in front of the police station. That's when the man jumped out and ran off. Police and a canine officer came up empty with their initial search. The claw hammer was recovered from inside the taxi.

DPW Guilty Plea - Tracy Baxter @ 12:00 pm EST
A Dutchess County Public Works Department employee has admitted that he lied about working overtime. Peter Nedwell was sentenced to 5 years probation and community service and he'll have to repay the 40 thousand dollars he took as part of a plea bargain arrangement agreed on in Dutchess County Court. Nedwell pleaded guilty to felony grand larceny. He was fired last year after an internal investigation uncovered the thefts.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Saugerties Arrests - Tracy Baxter @ 12:50 pm EST
State Police have arrested three Saugerties residents for a robbery at a village laundromat early Monday morning. Investigators say money and credit cards were forcibly taken from a man at the Washboard Laundromat in Saugerties. An investigation led to robbery charges against 28 year old Antoine Scott, 24 year old Elizabeth Carney and 25 year old Cheri O'Connor.

Port Weapons Arrest - Tracy Baxter @ 12:48 pm EST
Port Jervis police officers diffused a dangerous situation early Tuesday morning. When officers responded to a disturbance outside a bar on Pike Street, one of those involved reached into a car and pulled out a loaded gun. Police got the gun without any shots being fired. 25 year old Helen Mason and 38 year old Hector Cruz....both of Port Jervis...face felony weapons charges, including possession of a defaced and fully loaded gun.

Shake-down - Tracy Baxter @ 12:45 pm EST
In Ulster County an officer with the Department of Environmental Protection is facing charges of trying to extort thousands of dollars from a man who'd been arrested by the D-E-P. Roger Rotella Jr.....an 8 year veteran of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection...is accused of trying to extort 30 thousand dollars from the man in exchange for making the charge go away. Rotella was assigned to the Ashokan Reservoir district. Rotella was charged with attempted grand larceny and bribe receiving. He's been suspended for 30 days without pay. No other D-E-P officers have been implicated in the case.

Friday, July 07, 2006

Nicoletti Plea - Tracy Baxter @ 3:05 pm EST
One day after his former boss pleaded guilty to his role in a Sullivan County corruption case....Phil Nicoletti did the same. Nicoletti, the former Deputy County Public Works Commissioner, pleaded guilty Friday morning to charges of grand larceny and defrauding the government. Nicoletti's plea came after jury selection had begun for his trial. He is expected to get a year in jail when he's sentenced September 8th. Former Commissioner Peter Lilholt pleaded guilty Thursday to the same charges. He'll serve 6 months in jail. Both men falsified county purchase vouchers to cover up thefts of thousands of dollars worth of county equipment beginning in 2000. They were also ordered to return what equipment can be returned and reimburse Sullivan county for the balance.

Thursday, July 06, 2006

Gay Marriage - Tracy Baxter @ 1:22 pm EST
Plaintiff Regina Cicchetti says she is devastated by the state Court of Appeals ruling Thursday that gay marriage is not allowed under New York's marriage law. But the Port Jervis woman says that she and her partner of 36 years...Susan Zimmer...will fight on, probably by lobbying the Legislature for a change in the law. Says Cicchetti...quote..."We haven't given up. We're in this for the long haul. If we can't get it done for us, we'll get it done for the people behind us." In a 4 to 2 ruling, New York's highest court rejected arguments from gay and lesbian plaintiffs throughout the state that their inability to get marriage licenses in New York violated their constitutional rights.

Corruption Trial Plea - Tracy Baxter @ 1:17 pm EST
It was a case that rocked the Sullivan County Government Center and Thursday there was a guilty plea from a former County Public Works Commissioner. Peter Lilholt pleaded guilty to charges of grand larceny and defrauding the government just as jury selection was about to begin in his corruption trial. The guilty plea covers a 42-count indictment that Lilholt was facing along with his former Deputy Commissioner Phil Nicoletti whose trial is expected to begin on Monday. Nicoletti could face from 10 to 20 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges. Lilholt is expected to be sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years probation. He also agreed to testify against Nicoletti during the upcoming trial. Lilholt and Nicoletti had been indicted for grand larceny, defrauding the government and official misconduct. Lilholt admitted to falsifying county purchase vouchers to cover up thefts of thousands of dollars worth of county equipment over a 4 year period.

Warwick Fatal - Tracy Baxter @ 1:10 pm EST
Town of Warwick Police are continueing an investigation to determine if any charges should be filed following a fatal collision Wednesday evening. 48 year old Robert Horton of Warwick died of injuries he suffered when his car was struck near the intersection of Route 17A and Ball Road. Police say an S-U-V driven by 17 year old Craig Anderson of Warwick veered across the double yellow line and hit Horton's on-coming car, head-on. Officers say they don't yet know why.