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Law and Order: Batavia woman, 80, accused of trespassing, kicking police officers

By Howard B. Owens

Carolyn L Kurek, 80, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass and harassment 2nd. Kurek is accused of refusing to leave a location on North Street.  After a lengthy negotiation with police, according to the report, the officers attempted to physically remove her, and she allegedly kicked and scratched the officers.  Kurek was issued an appearance ticket, transported to her apartment, and released.

Shane Kyle Logan, 50, of Meadville Road, Basom, is charged with criminal sexual act 3rd and incest 3rd.  Logan was charged following an investigation by Investigator Kevin Forsyth for an act alleged to have occurred on Aug. 30 in Basom. He was ordered held on $5,000 bail.

Teesean T. Ayala, 24, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with trespass, obstruction of governmental administration, and criminal impersonation. On May 21, at about 6:05 a.m., police officers were dispatched to Vine Street to investigate a report of a male walking onto driveways and checking car door handles. A possible suspect was identified who then fled from police on foot through backyards in the northeast section of the city. The suspect was eventually apprehended and identified as Teesean Ayala. He is scheduled to appear in City Court at a later date.

Richard A. Demmer, Jr., 30, no permanent address, is charged with petit larceny and falsifying business records. Demmer is accused of stealing property from a residence on Towne Place, Alabama, on May 24. He then allegedly falsified a bill of sale at Pawn King on Veterans Memorial Drive. Demmer was arraigned and was released on his own recognizance. The case was investigated by Deputy Jenna Ferrando and Investigator Erik Andre.

Madison Lee McKenzie, 19, of Creek Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd and endangering the welfare of a child.  McKenzie is accused of using Snapchat between May 28 and May 30 to send explicit messages and photos to a person under age 15 in violation of an order of protection.  McKenzie was arraigned and released pending her next court appearance.

Heather N. Holbrook, 38, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a narcotic with the intent to sell and criminal possession of a controlled substance 4th. Holbrook was a subject of a traffic stop by Officer Wesley Rissinger on May 17 at an unspecified location in the City of Batavia. At the time of the stop, the Sheriff's Office held an arrest warrant for Holbrook.  While being taken into custody, she was allegedly found in possession of a significant quantity of a narcotic. Holbrook was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. Also charged as a result of the traffic stop was Jeremy P. Holbrook, 40., of West Bergen Road, Bergen. He was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th.  He was issued an appearance ticket.

Nathaniel L. Beglinger, 31, of Peaviner Road, Alexander, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th, criminally using drug paraphernalia 2nd, and obstructed view.  Beglinger was the subject of a traffic stop on May 17 on East Main Street, Batavia. He was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Rosemary R. Waters, 37, of East Main Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Waters was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance during a traffic stop on East Main Street, Batavia, on May 17. She was arraigned and ordered held on $1 cash bail.

Chantel C. Holmes, 23, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with assault 3rd and criminal mischief 4th. Holmes was reportedly involved in a disturbance on May 7 on Ellicott Street, Batavia.  She is accused of striking another person in the head with a shovel, which caused an injury. She is also accused of damaging property. Holmes was arraigned in City Court and released.

Donald F. Koziol, 55, of Franklin Street, Batavia, is charged with DWI and no/insufficient tail lamps. Koziol was stopped on May 14 on Ellicott Street by Officer Adam Tucker. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Ashley Davis, 34, of Walden Creek Drive, Batavia, is charged with DWI, unlicensed operator, and unsafe backing. Davis was arrested by Officer Andrew Mruczek on May 8 following an investigation into a report of a vehicle backing over a curb and striking another vehicle in a parking lot on North Street, Batavia. Davis was released on an appearance ticket.

A 17-year-old female resident of Ellicott Street,  Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. The youth is accused of striking another person while in an unspecified park in the City of Batavia on May 15. The youth was arraigned in City Court and released.

Kevin M. McCoy, 56, of East Main Stree, Batavia, is charged with trespass and harassment 2nd. McCoy was allegedly involved in a fight at a business on East Main Street, Batavia, on May 12. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance.

Lakeisha A Gibson, 36, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal contempt 2nd. Gibson is accused of failure to comply with a subpoena to appear at a trial. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Zakara R. Jackson, 19, of Trumbull Parkway,  Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th. Jackson was allegedly found in possession of a narcotic and drug paraphernalia when she was arrested on warrants on May 16. She was arraigned and released.

Jeanette L. Higgins, 47, of Ganson Avenue, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Higgins is accused of throwing an acquaintance to the ground during an argument on May 15. ßhe was issued an appearance ticket.

Jaqulyn Ann Dueppengiesser, 39, is accused of stealing an item from Walmart on Veterans Memorial Drive at 4:25 p.m. on May 23.  Her release status is unknown.

Jared Evan Flaming, 36, of Genesee Street, Darien, is charged with acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17 years old, criminal mischief, and harassment 3rd. Flaming is accused of damaging a mailbox on Gabbey Road, Pembroke, while walking at 8:15 p.m. on May 27. He is accused of screaming profanities at the time and threatening a caller in the presence of children. Flaming was held in the Genesee County Jail pending his arraignment.

Joshua Rashad Brown, 25, of Spalding Street, Elmira, is charged with criminal trespass 3rd and harassment 2nd.  Brown is accused of entering an enclosed area of Darien Lake Theme Park on May 29 without permission. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Isrrael Obregon, Jr., 42, of Tucker Road, Walnut Cover, N.C., is charged with DWI, aggravated unlicensed driver 1st, misuse of dealer plate, unlicensed driver, and driver view obstructed. Obregon was stopped on May 29 at 4:22 on Pearl Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Zachary Hoy.  He was issued tickets and released.

Hunter M. Passage, 22, of Batavia, is charged with DWI. Passage was stopped by State Police on May 29 at 9:08 p.m. in the Town of Batavia. He was released on an appearance ticket.

Miguel A. Rendon Fuentes, 39, of Corfu, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Fuentes was stopped on May 29 at 12:06 a.m. by State Police, He was released on an appearance ticket.

Brian E. Daggar, 37, of Elba, is charged with DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Daggar was stopped by State Police in the Town of Batavia on May 27 at 12:41 a.m.  He was released on an appearance ticket.

Lavar V. McKnight, 45, of Rochester, is charged with petit larceny and criminal contempt 1st. McKnight was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported on May 25 at 9:20 at an unspecified location in the Town of Batavia.  He was ordered held.  No further information released by State Police.

Trinity N. Wright, 20, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Alexis M. Stackhouse, 26, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, reckless endangerment 1st, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Noemi Morales, 23, of Syracuse, is charged with conspiracy 5th, possession of burglar tools, grand larceny 3rd, and criminal possession of stolen property 3rd. Wright, Stackhouse and Morales were arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported on May 25 at 12:42 a.m. Both were ordered held in custody.  No further information was released by State Police.

Photos: Memorial Day Ceremony in Elba

By Howard B. Owens
Elba Memorial Day.

Residents, scouts, and veterans gathered in the Village Park in Elba to honor local fallen heroes today, Memorial Day.

Photos by Laura Lufts.

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Oakfield-Alabama/Elba boys win sectional title in track

By Staff Writer
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The Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Boys Track team picked up a sectional title in Class B3.

OAE scored 186 points, well ahead of second-place Rochester Academy Charter, with 72 points.

In the Girls Track, Class B3, Alexander scored 90 points, giving them second place behind Geneseo with 115 points.

For full results and individual results, click here.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

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Elba Lancers pick up baseball win, 11-3

By Howard B. Owens

The Elba Lancers beat Alfred-Almond in baseball on Thursday, 10-3.

Gage Chamberlain went 2-2 with a triple and a double. He also walked once and scored three runs. He also had a stolen base.

Connor Scott was 2-4 with three RBIs and three stolen bases.

Angelo Penna, 1-4 and three RBIs.

Brayden Jachimowicz made his first varsity start and went 1-2 with a walk, two RBIs, two runs scored, and two stolen bases.

Connor Scott picked up the win by going 3 2/3 of an inning, giving up 2 runs with 11 Ks while facing just 16 batters!

Angelo Penna came in for relief and went 3.1 innings giving up one hit and one run, striking out seven.

"All and all, this is huge momentum for our ballclub with sectionals just around the corner," said Head Coach Andrew Boyce. 

 

Elba/Oakfield-Alabama golfer sinks his first-ever hole-in-one

By Howard B. Owens
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After the scheduled opponent for Elba/Oakfield-Alabama on Saturday for a golf match failed to show up with enough players, the team played a round anyway.

It turned out to be a momentous day for EOA's Jake Walczak, who aced Hole 7, a 177-yard Par 3, for his first career hole-in-one.

It's the first hole-in-one for the team since 2016. 

Coach Mike Cintorino said, "Walczak felt as though he hit a great shot when it came off the face of his 7-iron. As it landed and went toward the hole, the excitement level in the group raised. The crescendo was hit when they all saw the ball disappear next to the flag. When the foursome of Walczak, Brayden Smith, Aiden Warner, and Eli Loysen walked up to the pin, their excitement was validated as Walczak reached down to pull his Titleist Pro-V1 out of the cup. This was Walczak’s first ever hole-in-one and quite a moment for the senior golfer who has been on the team since 7th grade."

The match against Keshequa will be rescheduled.

Photo by Kristin Smith.

O-A beats Elba 13-0 in baseball

By Howard B. Owens

Colton Yasses threw five innings of one-hit ball as Oakfield-Alabama beat Elba on Saturday 13-0.

Brayden Smith went 3-3 with four RBIs, scoring three runs. Aiden Warner was 2-3 with two runs scored. David Schnaufer was 1-2 with a walk and five RBIs. Austin Pangrazio was 2-3 with a run scored.

The Hornets are 8-1.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Elba/OA sinks Attica for first time in golf season

By

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Submitted match information and photo.

The Elba/OA Lancers defeated the Attica Blue Devils 187-194 on Tuesday at Batavia Country Club.

The Lancers Jake Walczak (photo) was medalist with a round of 41, while teammate Brayden Smith fired a 43.

Attica’s Evan Piechowiak led the Blue Devils with a 42. The Lancers improve to 3-1, while the Blue Devils are now 4-1. 

Alexander’s Boyce and Pietrzykowski combine to shutout Elba 15-0

By

Submitted game story.

Maddison Boyce and Emily Pietrzykowski combined to blank Elba Monday afternoon in Alexander. 

Boyce pitched 2 innings, allowing one hit, striking out four and Pietrzykowski went four innings, allowing four hits While striking out seven.

Neither Alexander pitcher surrendered a walk during the contest.

Carley Shepard led Alexander at the plate, going 3-4 with a triple, a double and 2 RBIs.  Ava Yax went 2-4 with a homerun in the second inning. Makenna Boyce went 2-3 with a double and 2 RBIs. Melanie Bump and Brianna Neyman both collected 2 hits on the day. 

Next up for Alexander is a dual with Notre Dame on Saturday at 1100.

Elba had 5 hits, including a Lydia Ross double to right field in the top of the fifth inning.

Lancers open golf season with win over Pembroke

By

Submitted story and photos.

The Elba/OA Lancers got off to a strong start with a 192-286 win over the visiting Pembroke Dragons at Batavia Country Club on Thursday.

Elba/OA senior Jake Walczak earned medalist honors with a round of 40, while  Elba/OA freshman Eli Loysen (46) and Jada Fite (48) both had strong rounds as well.

The Dragons were led by Cody Captain with a round of 56.

The Lancers are now 1-0 on the season, while the Dragons fall to 0-2.

Photo: Elba/OA Senior Jake Walczak teeing off 10 at Batavia CC

Sheriff's K-9s visit Elba Fire and provide Chicken BBQ attendees and volunteers a demo

By Howard B. Owens

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Deputies Andrew Mullen, with partner K-9 Frankie, and Deputy James Stack, with partner K-9 Rayzor, visited the Elba Volunteer Fire Department Chicken BBQ on Sunday to provide a demonstration of how K-9s work with officers.

The Elba Boy Scouts were also on hand to help with the BBQ at the Elba Fire Rec Hall on Route 98.

The fundraiser was sold out.

Submitted photos and information.

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Law and Order: Alabama man charged with second degree robbery

By Howard B. Owens

Isaac D. Abrams, 22, of Alabama, is charged with robbery 2nd. Abrams was arrested by State Police in the Town of Alabama in connection with an incident reported at 10:02 p.m., March 10. He was ordered held on cash bail. No further details were released.

Matthew Jacob Zon, 41, of East Main Street, Byron, is charged with criminal contempt 1st and criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th.  Zon is accused of violating a stay-away order of protection at 9:17 a.m. on March 32 at a location in Byron. He was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance at the time of his arrest by Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Scott Earl Clark, 62, of Main Road, Stafford, is charged with DWI, failure to obey a police officer, and driving left of pavement markings. Clark was stopped at 6:37 p.m., March 10 on Ford Road in Elba by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun. Clark was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment.

Anthony Jason Gostomski, 35, of Fredro Street, Buffalo, is charged with DWI, DWI with a child in the car, and endangering the welfare of a child. Gostomski was stopped at 6:57 p.m. on April 3 on Route 20 in Darien by Deputy James Stack.

Andrew William Taylor, 35, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal mischief 4th. Taylor is accused of damaging a metal bed frame in the Genesee County Jail at 10:51 p.m. on April 3. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Thomas H. Hayes, 76, of Byron, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. Hayes was stopped by State Police at 6:36 p.m. on April 4 in the Town of Byron. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Frank W. Landseadel, 63, of Attica, is charged with DWI and driving while impaired by drugs. Landseadel was stopped at 3:01 p.m. on April 3 by State Police in the Town of Alexander. He was released on an appearance ticket.

David E. Brege, 36, of Medina, is charged with criminal impersonation 2nd and identity theft 2nd. Brege was arrested by State Police in connection with an incident reported at 11:20 a.m., March 29, in the Town of Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket. No other information released.

 

Elba junior hockey player goes onto national championships this weekend

By Joanne Beck

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When Elba high school junior Addison Warriner was six, he pulled on a pair of skates and gripped a hockey stick for the first time.

He comes from “a big hockey family,” and his favorite team is the Boston Bruins, with Czech professional ice hockey right winger David Pastrnak as his preferred player.

Before Addison’s grandmother died, she had set aside money for him to play the sport. Addison, 16, quickly glided in line with the family's passion.

“I fell in love with it,” he said Wednesday to The Batavian. “It’s fun, and I love playing with the guys, it’s the bond you share over the years.”

And now, a decade later, in addition to having spurred her grandson on to enjoy hockey as a youngster on the Ramparts and now on the Batavia Notre Dame United team, which plays at the McCarthy ice arena in Batavia, Grandma Diane has invested in a member of the Power City Bruins 16U, which is playing in the five-day USA Hockey National Championships beginning Thursday.

The tournament begins with three round-robin games and then goes on to elimination matches.

Addison joined the Niagara Falls-based Bruins two years ago when they were looking to replace a couple of players. He decided to try out and was selected as one of about 20 players from Western New York and the only one from Genesee County that he knows of.

It was a step up on the competitive front, he said, and will lead him toward another goal.

“I would love to play in college, that’s my number one dream,” he said.

The team has been putting in the heavy lifting, some of it literally — with weightlifting and practices two to three times a week and playing games one to two times on the weekends to prepare.

Addison feels confident in the team’s chances of ending on top, given that it already beat the best-ranked team in the nation, the Wheatfield Blades. “So I don’t see why we can’t beat the rest of them,” he said.

“When the team was formed, the goal was formed to make it to this tournament,” he said. “I’m a little nervous but pretty confident overall. For the last two years, we’ve been preparing.”

The first game is at 5:50 p.m. Thursday in Buffalo, and Addison, a 2022 Wayne D. Foster Award recipient, expects his family to be in the crowd cheering him on. And he thinks Grandma Diane would be smiling in her seat.

“I think she’d be really proud,” he said. “I don’t think she ever expected that this would happen.”

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Submitted photos of Addison Warriner with the Bruins on the ice, and above, receiving the Wayne D. Foster Foundation Award in 2022 for "his ceaseless display of good character, including his wisdom, determination, and his fortitude and for his achievements both on and off the ice." 

Photos: Drive Your Tractor to School Day in Elba

By Howard B. Owens

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It was Drive Your Tractor to School Day on Friday at Elba High School.

In the top photo, Superintendent Gretchen Rosalas joins Ty Reilly in his John Deere.  In the second photo, High School Principal Morgan Marcello in a student's Case tractor.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

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Law and Order: Man accused of pointing rifle at juveniles

By Howard B. Owens

Douglas M. Ashworth, 48, of Vine Street, Batavia, is charged with menacing. Ashworth is accused of pointing a rifle at two youths on Oct. 9 on Vine Street in Batavia and placing the individuals in reasonable fear of injury or death. He was arrested on Feb. 28 and issued an appearance ticket.

John J. Saddler, 35, of South Main Street, Batavia, is charged with burglary 2nd, aggravated criminal contempt, grand larceny 4th, and petit larceny. Saddler is accused of entering the home of a person projected by a court order and stealing property, including an NYS benefits card and then using the card at a local business. He was arraigned in City Court and jailed until his next court appearance.

Sarah A. Malone, 40, of Graham Street, Batavia, is charged with theft of services and criminal impersonation 2nd. Malone is accused of dining at a restaurant in the City of Batavia on Feb. 21 and leaving without paying for her meal. Once located, Malone allegedly provided officers with a fake name and date of birth. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Ariel N. Pontillo, 32, of Washington Avenue, Batavia, is charged with DWAI drugs and failure to keep right. Pontillo was stopped by Officer Joseph Weglarski at Main and Court streets in the City of Batavia on Feb. 25.

Michael E. Wilson, 29, of East Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with DWI and insufficient tail lamps. Wilson was stopped at 2:32 a.m. on Feb. 26 on East Main Street in Batavia by Officer Joseph Wglarski. Wilson was issued an appearance ticket.

Rebecca R. Fugate, 22, of Woodrow Road, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Fugate is accused of striking another resident of a residential care home in Batavia on Feb. 24. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Heather L. Armstrong, 46, of Ellicott Street, Batavia, is charged with harassment 2nd. Armstrong was arrested on Feb. 28 following a report of a disturbance at a business in Batavia. She was issued an appearance ticket.

Brittany L. Hollaert, 26, of St Paul Street, Rochester, is charged with failure to appear. Hollaert is accused of failing to appear in court as ordered on charges of grand larceny 3rd, petit larceny, and criminal trespass charges. She was released on her own recognizance and admitted into a drug treatment facility. Her case will be transferred to SAFE Court.

Grant J. Fremstad, 22, of Ekern Street, Westby, Wis., is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, improper lane usage, and open container. Fremstad was stopped at 2:23 a.m. on March 5 on East Main Street by Officer Joseph Weglarski. Fremstad was released on an appearance ticket.

Demerio J Watts, 38, of Eggert Road, Buffalo, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, failure to keep right, and failure to signal. Watts was stopped at 1:18 a.m. on Ellicott Street in Batavia by Officer John Gombos. He was issued an appearance ticket.

Phillip D. Byford, 32, of Brockport Spencerport Road, Sweden, was arrested on City Court bench warrants. The first warrant for an alleged petit larceny on Jan. 24, 2020. He was issued an appearance ticket and allegedly failed to appear in court. The second warrant was for an alleged petit larceny also reported on Jan. 24, 2020. He is accused of failure to appear on an appearance ticket. The third warrant is for a charge of criminal trespass 2nd at a location on East Main Street, Batavia. He was issued an appearance ticket and allegedly failed to appear.  He was arraigned in City Court and ordered to appear at a later date.

Myia N. Sobus, 19, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, and Timothy J Alis, 18, of Park Road, Batavia, are charged with petit larceny. Sobus and Alis are accused of filling a shopping cart at an undisclosed store (UPDATE: Through court records, The Batavian confirmed the location was Tops) in Batavia with $897 in merchandise and leaving the store without paying for the items. They were released on appearance tickets.

Shawn M. Sloan, 38) of Porter Avenue, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass 2nd. Sloan is accused of entering an apartment on Bank Street, Batavia, on March 3, and stealing a kitchen utensil. Sloan was released on an appearance ticket.

Shannon B. Harder, 38, of Bowen Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, unsafe turn, speed in zone, and failure to keep right. Harder was stopped on Center Street, Batavia, on March 8, by Officer Sam Freeman. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Brian Eric Dagar, 37, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with petit larceny. Dager is accused of shoplifting at Walmart in Batavia on Feb. 26. Dagar was arraigned in Town of Batavia Court and released.

Evan Francis Maynard, 22, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Maynard is accused of shoplifting from Target in Batavia on March 2. He was processed at the Genesee County Jail and released.

Jeanna Marie Hattaway, 36, of Park Road, Batavia, is charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance 7th and aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd. Hattaway was allegedly found in possession of multiple controlled substances during a traffic stop conducted by Sgt. Kyle Krzemien at 3:38 a.m. on March 3 on Lewiston Road, Batavia. She was released on an appearance ticket.

LeeAnna Krull, 53, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with promoting prison contraband 1st and promoting prison contraband 2nd. Krull was allegedly found in possession of a controlled substance while inside the Genesee County Jail on March 1 at 4:07 p.m. She was arraigned in Centralized Arraignment Court and ordered held.

Beglervoic Denis Ikonic, 20, of East Ridge Road, Rochester, is charged with petit larceny. Ikonic is accused of shoplifting from DIck's Sporting Goods on March 5 at 4:30 p.m.  He was released.

Marie Tiffany Walter, 31, of Putnam Road, Bethany, is charged with petit larceny. Walter is accused of shoplifting from Walmart. She was released on an appearance ticket.

Zachary Austin Laird, 26, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .18 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operation, and criminal mischief. Laird is accused of damaging property at a location on Bethany Center Road at 8:15 p.m. on March 1. He allegedly left the scene and drove back while intoxicated. He was arrested by Deputy Nicholas Chmoun and Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush and was held in the Genesee County Jail pending arraignment.

Jeffrey M. Schneider, 44, of Alexander, is charged with DWI. Schneider was stopped by State Police at 7:50 p.m. on March 11 in the Town of Alexander. He was released to a third party.  No further information released.

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Elba loses fierce battle with Andover in Class D2 championship game

By Press Release

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Submitted story.

In a game that saw 15 lead changes, Elba needed one more they couldn't get, falling 58-55 to Andover-Whitesville in the Class D2 sectional finals Saturday night.

Andover-Whitesville's Vanessa Hall tallied a game-high 28 points, including six points in the last 39 seconds to seal the win for the Panthers.

Hall struggled in the first half shooting 4-for-15 from the floor for 10 points but turned it around in the second half on 8-of-16 field goals for 18 points. The senior made several tough inside shots, and a few nice interior passes to set up Panther teammates as well. Hall was named the Class D2 tournament MVP.

Sixth-seeded Elba (13-11) played tough throughout, grabbing an 11-10 lead after one quarter. Maddie Hall nailed a 3-pointer to get the scoring started for the Lancers, while freshman Lydia Ross and sophomore Sydney Reilly both scored four points in the opening stanza.

Reilly, who leads Elba with over 16 points per game, picked up her third foul just one minute into the second quarter. Elba would not relinquish the lead in her absence. Mariah Ognibene and Ross netted two-point baskets before Kennedy Augello got hot. The junior guard sandwiched an inside basket between two 3-pointers to give Elba the 23-21 edge at the half.

Elba's Hailie Scouten led the charge to start the third quarter. The junior forward swished a 3-pointer from the right wing to start the quarter and then 30 seconds later knocked a trey in off the board to give Elba its biggest lead of the game at 29-21. Scouten added one more basket later in the quarter and finished with nine points, 13 rebounds, three assists and five blocks.

Ross, who finished with a team-high 13 points and spear-headed the Lancers all night, added four points in the third quarter. Reilly, who came back in with 30 seconds left in the frame, and Hall added three and two points, respectively, in the quarter.

Andover-Whitesville's Hall paced her team with 10 points in the third quarter, and Graci Lewis-Ellison added five. Both teams scored 17 points resulting in a 40-38 Elba advantage after three.

The Panthers started the fourth quarter with six straight points to take a 44-40 lead. Then both Ross and Ognibene scored on putbacks for Elba to tie the game once again at 44-44 halfway through the final quarter. A free throw by Scouten gave the Lancers their final lead of the game with three minutes left.

Hall gave Andover-Whitesville the lead right back on the very next possession slicing into the lane for a tough inside bucket.

Ognibene would tie the game once more with her own free throw with 2:30 left, but Panthers senior Gabby Terhune netted a layup on a nice assist from Hall seconds later to put Andover-Whitesville up for good. Two Panther free throws and two more baskets from Hall put Elba down 54-49 with just 30 seconds remaining.

Reilly made an off-balance basket and was fouled on the Lancers' next possession. The following free throw made it 54-52 in favor of the Panthers. Foul shots from Hall, Terhune and Lewis-Ellison increased the lead to 58-52 with 11 seconds left in the game.

Augello swished one more three-pointer, her third of the night, as the buzzer sounded. She finished with 11 points on 4-of-8 shooting.

Ognibene ended with five points and a game-high 16 rebounds for Elba, while Reilly ended with 10 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Ross, who was named to the all-tournament team, also had four rebounds, four assists and three steals to go with her 13 points for the Lancers.

Elba's Hall tallied five points, while junior Ava Chatt rounded out the Lancers scoring with two points.

Andover-Whitesville's Lewis-Ellison ended with eight points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Bledsoe finished with 10 points and six rebounds.

Reilly, Lewis-Ellison and Bledsoe were also named to the all-tournament team.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

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Bail reform blamed for two men leading police on chase shortly after release

By Howard B. Owens
Evan Vanskiver Adam Montes

Two Monroe County men are again out of custody, released within the same 24-hour period that their alleged crime spree started, apparently because a local judge had no authority to set bail.

Evan Jacob Vanskiver and Adam John Montes were arrested early Monday morning and, in accordance with New York's current bail law, released on appearance tickets. A short time later, they were allegedly spotted in a stolen car, leading to a Batavia PD pursuit through multiple jurisdictions. 

That led to more charges, but at arraignment on Feb. 27, the date of all of these events, they were released on their own recognizance. 

It's impossible to say that they would still be in custody without bail reform, but local officials say the ease with which they regained their freedom is a product of bail reform.

For charges under a certain level, police officers can't bring a suspect before a judge for arraignment. The officers must write an appearance ticket.  And a judge, at arraignment, must set release conditions that are the least restrictive option available. That's the law.

District Attorney Kevin Finnell said if there had been an arraignment in pre-bail reform days, his office would have requested cash bail or bond be set.  It would have been up to a judge, who may also have heard a counter-argument from a defense attorney, to weigh the flight-risk factors in order to decide if bail was necessary to ensure the defendants would reappear in court as ordered at a later date.

"Prior to bail reform, the decision of whether to set bail would have, of course, rested with the judge, so I cannot advise you with any degree of certainty if these defendants would have been held on bail," Finnell said. "I can tell you that prior to bail reform, knowing the circumstances of this case, my office would have requested that bail be set, and we would have been optimistic that our request would have been granted."

Even though holding the defendants in jail after their initial arrest on Feb. 27 isn't a given, Batavia PD Chief Shawn Heubusch does see the case as a failure of bail reform, primarily because no judge was given a chance to make a decision. An appearance ticket was mandatory. 

The incidents involving Vanskiver and Montes began at 4:14 a.m. on Monday when dispatchers received a complaint of a theft from a vehicle on Church Street in Elba.

When Deputy Jeremiah Gechell arrived on scene, two men were spotted. They fled the area.  Deputy James Stack and K-9 Rayzor responded and commenced a search. A short time later, Vanskiver and Montes were located. They were allegedly in possession of a cache of stolen items. 

Both men were also accused of damaging a vehicle on Church Street while trying to gain access to it.

Deputy Travis DeMuth assisted in the investigation.

Vanskiver is 31 with a listed residence of Viking Way, Sweden, and Montes is reported by the Sheriff's Office not to have a residence. Batavia PD place Vanskiver's residence in Brockport and Montes in Hamlin.

In the Elba incident, the two men were both charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a Class C felony, 14 counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, a Class E felony, criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and criminal mischief in the fourth degree, a Class A misdemeanor.

In pre-bail reform days, not everybody charged with felonies was held.  In this case, however, the extenuating circumstances that a judge could have considered under the prior bail guidelines is that one of the defendants doesn't have a permanent residence and neither is from the local area. 

In an attempt to get a defense attorney's perspective on bail reform and its impact on this case, The Batavian emailed Public Defender Jerry Ader two days ago, and he did not respond.

According to Batavia PD, the two men were released from custody at the Genesee County Jail at 2:15 p.m. on Monday.

They were spotted in the allegedly stolen vehicle at 2:41 p.m. that same day on Ellicott Street near Liberty Street.

A patrol officer chased the vehicle down Route 5 to Wortendyke Road, where Vanskiver managed to avoid spike strips. 

The vehicle then started traveling in a southerly direction through the towns of Batavia, Alexander, Pembroke, and Darien. 

Further attempts to use spike strips to impede the vehicle were unsuccessful. 

According to a Batavia PD statement, the vehicle entered the Village of Attica on Route 238, then turned into an apartment complex on Sokol Drive, where it struck a garbage Dumpster.

Vanskiver allegedly fled on foot. He was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit. The passenger was apprehended in the vehicle.

They were arrested by Batavia PD and charged with:

Evan J. Vanskiver

  • Criminal Mischief 3rd (Felony)
  • Grand Larceny 3rd (Felony)
  • Conspiracy
  • Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer
  • Aggravated Unlicensed Operation 2nd
  • Multiple Vehicle and Traffic Law violations

Adam J. Montes

  • Grand Larceny 3rd (Felony)
  • Conspiracy

Following this second arrest, Vanskiver and Montes were held pending arraignment in the new Centralized Arraignment Court. They were arraigned later that same day, according to jail records, and ordered released on their own recognizance.

The incident prompted Assemblyman Steve Hawley to call on New York to revisit its current bail law.

“The revolving door of crime that has been established by bail reform continues to hinder and harm law-abiding citizens while giving career criminals a free pass,” Hawley said. “It’s high time for the Majority in the Assembly to help bring an end to this era of crime New York is continually besieged by. To continue to ignore it makes them part of the problem.”

Elba Lancers advance to finals in Class D2

By Howard B. Owens

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Elba overcame foul trouble and walked away with a Section Class D2 semifinal win over Scio-Friendship on Tuesday, 47-34.

The Lancers, the #6 seed in the tournament, with a 13-10 record, will vie for a sectional trophy on Friday at 6 p.m. against #1 seed Andover/Whitesville.

Sydney Reilly had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.

Kennedy Augello scored 11 points. Ava Chatt had 11 rebounds and Mariah Ognibene had eight.

The team recorded 18 fouls.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

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Elba beats Finney 47-31 in Class D2 playoff

By Howard B. Owens

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Elba beat Finney on Saturday 47-31 to advance to the semifinals of the Section V Class D2 tournament.

Sydney Reilly scored 13 points, Lydia Ross 11, Mariah Ognibene, eight, and Kennedy Augello, seven.

"The team is playing well and defense is starting to look better," said Head Coach Charlie Pangrazio. "We're looking forward to the next challenge on Tuesday night."

The Lancers play Scio/Friendship at Mount Morris on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

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