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Joshua Dent, after a decade with Merrill Lynch, has joined the ranks of small business owners in Genesee County, becoming an independent investment advisor with an office in the First Choice Travel building at 3080 W. Main Street Road, Batavia.

"A big reason for the move is it changes my role from working for somebody else like I have for 13 years now (he was with Edward Jones before Merrill Lynch) and I'm a small business owner just like a lot of my clients," Dent said.

As his own boss, Dent said he can offer more services to his clients, set his own fee structure and take on clients with smaller investments that larger agencies tend to avoid. He thinks that model, with all the small business people in Batavia, is a much better fit for the local community.

Dent has developed strong community ties since joining Merrill Lynch's branch in Batavia. He worked with his colleagues there organizing the GLOW Corporate Cup and serves on the board of the YMCA.

Eventually, he'll develop a new brand name for his firm, but he'll affiliate with Raymond James, to access that financial services firm's technology and resources; day-to-day operations and decisions will be entirely his own.

"I like having the ability to determine the clients I work with and the pricing of their assets under management," Dent said. "It offers a lot more flexibility. When you're the one who owns the business, you get to make those decisions and price things more appropriately. Sometimes with clients at other firms, you have to have high minimum fees or high minimum account values. Those things kind of go away when I'm calling the shots."

Dent's new office number is (585) 418-4163.

Press release:

State Senator Michael H. Ranzenhofer has announced $250,000 in state funding to assist with the construction of the Ellicott Trail, the first pedestrian and bicycle trail within Genesee County.

The proposed 4.6-mile multi-modal pedestrian and bicyclist trail will provide a new route through the City and Town of Batavia, including off-road sections, to offer more efficient and safer options for travelers.

“I am pleased to have been able to secure funding for the Town and City of Batavia to construct the Ellicott Trail. The trail will connect major activity centers and commerce, while offering a new, safer way for residents to get around in the community,” Ranzenhofer said.

New off-road trail sections will improve the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists as they will not need to compete with vehicular traffic. In addition, the on-road sections will be signed and striped for bicyclists to alert motorists; crosswalks at key intersections will also be signed, and in some instances enhanced, to emphasize pedestrian crossings along the route.

"I’m extremely pleased with the efforts of the City and Town collaborators with the Senator’s office to help make this project a reality. This will be a first of its kind in Genesee County, and just the beginning of what will hopefully be a County-wide trail," said Town Supervisor Greg Post.

“This has been a collaborative effort from the beginning, and we are extremely pleased to have an asset like the Ellicott Trail come through the center of our City. The Ellicott Trail, once constructed, will be a permanent fixture that will bring commerce and recreational users to our County for years to come,” said City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr.

Ranzenhofer secured the funding through the State and Municipal Facilities Grant Program. Construction of the new trail is expected to start early next year and be completed by the end of 2017. The total cost of the project is $1.36 million.

In 2014, the Town of Batavia, in partnership with the City, received $1 million in federal funding, through the Transportation Enhancement Program (TEP), to complete a 4.6-mile multi-modal pedestrian and bicyclist trail. The TEP program required a $341,500 local match to complete the project. Senator Ranzenhofer’s grant will be used to offset the local match.

   Katelynn Higgs    Amber Jacznski    Katherine Shannon    Michelle Preston

The Local Drug Task Force has announced the arrest of four Batavia residents on charges stemming from four separate investigations into the suspected criminal sale of narcotics.

Katelynn M. Higgs, 31, of Grandview Terrace, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, 3rd. Higgins is accused of selling a quantity of oxycodone to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. She was jailed without bail.

Amber L. Jacznski, 24, of Pearl Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Jacznski is accused of selling a quantity of fentanyl to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. She was jailed without bail.

Katherine M. Shannon, 55, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Shannon is suspected of selling a quantity of oxycodone to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force. She was jailed without bail.

Michelle L. Preston, 50, of Bank Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance, 3rd, criminal possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. Preston is accused of selling a quantity of crack cocaine to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force and was allegedly found in possession of marijuana at the time of her arrest. She was jailed without bail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ever since he opened Main St. Pizza Company on East Main Street 11 and a half years ago, Vic Marchese has wanted to serve pasta dishes featuring his mom's sauce and meatball recipes, but the small kitchen in the busy and crowded pizza shop just didn't give him room to grow his business that way.

Two months ago, at the end of a three-year planning and building process, Marchese was finally able to expand his restaurant, building a bigger kitchen and adding a new, large (75 seats) and attractive dining area.

And since then, the customers have been pouring in.

"I always knew we would do well because people always liked my mother’s sauce," Marchese said. "She just passed away four years ago. I wish she was here. She would really enjoy this. She would be out here, talking to everybody, and she would be involved here in the kitchen, I know she would."

The expansion helped Marchese fulfill a few dreams -- serving his mom's recipes, bringing Italian dining back to Batavia, double the number of diners his restaurant can serve at one time and providing a more upscale dining experience.

He designed the new dining room himself, with help from his wife and an interior designer who suggested the tabletops and upholstery on the long booth that sits under the custom-made Main Street sign on an interior wall, framed by two racks of wine. The wood and brick ambiance gives the restaurant a classic, urban feel.

"I wanted to build something that was over the top," Marchese said. "I wanted it to be the best restaurant Batavia could have, as good as anything in any big city."

Customers have told him, he said, that they feel like they're in a restaurant in Boston or Montreal when they're in his new dining room, or with the big meals, friendly atmosphere and good food, they feel like they're home. Both compliments apply.

"The best compliment anyone has ever said, people just thanked me for building this for them," Marchese said. "That says a lot right there. Food aside, pizza aside, spaghetti aside, people say the building is for them."

The homespun atmosphere is accentuated by a wall of photographs of local scenes, alongside shots of the family dog, Winston, and a couple of the restaurant's dishes. The local photographs are the work of Batavia residents Mark Gutman and Howard Owens.

Marchese is particularly proud of the 16-foot front window that opens easily when the weather is good, giving diners not just a view of downtown life on the sidewalk, but an open-air cafe feel, much like any big city bistro.  

Main St. now takes reservations, and that's not a bad idea on most nights, and tables by the window are the most requested by those callers making reservations.

While mom's sauce and meatballs anchor the new dining room's menu, much of the culinary creativity comes from Main St.'s new executive chef, Jason Ball, a native of Batavia who got his culinary degree from Erie County Community College and has been a sous chef and executive chef at several restaurants and hotels in the region. He was most recently sous chef at Orazio's in Clarence, where he was part of a team that won four Taste of Buffalo awards. He spent about 10 years at Orazio's with a break in the middle to be executive chef at Byrncliff in Varysburg.

Ball started hearing talk more than a year ago that Marchese wanted to meet with him and discuss an executive chef position and Ball's first reaction, he said, was "executive chef in a pizza shop? No way," but then once he sat down Marchese and understood his vision, he said he was sold on the idea.

"This is something special right here," Ball said. "I've long wanted to come back to my hometown and do something special and this is it. This is great. We said it would be great and we're doing it."

In preparing for the job, Ball took a family vacation in New York City and visited the bistros of Little Italy. He said he absorbed ideas and atmosphere, and during their planning, Marchese took Ball to Tony B's in Rochester and Marchese had a steak there and told Ball he'd like to include a steak on the menu for the new dining room.

Ball found a cut of Angus filet mignon that costs $20 per cut, which means it's $38 on the Main St. menu, but Ball described it as an amazing cut of meat, and since customers keep ordering at that price, it must be pretty good. Ball said the goal was to offer the best cut of steak in Batavia.

Marchese and Ball want everything to be first-rate, he said, so they only get the best ingredients, including cheese from Yancey's Fancy (for dessert, homemade ice cream from Oliver's Candies, to continue that local theme). 

Ball has the freedom to offer unique and creative specials every night, including some really special specials on weekends, such as this past weekend when the menu included an ahi tuna steak with vegetables and a jasmine rice.

The appetizers include the Winstonator (named after the Marchese family pet), which is comprised of two 10-ounce meatballs in mom's sauce with cheese, and Ball introduced his own take on Arancini, a Sicilian rice ball with asparagus, ricotta, various cheeses and a roasted tomato sauce and chive oil. 

It's quickly become one of the most popular items on the menu, Ball said.

"We want customers to have a great experience," Ball said. "I believe sitting down and enjoying a meal is an experience. Anybody at home can cook spaghetti and meatballs, but here we want it to be an experience. We want to it to be a top-notch-level service, an amazing atmosphere and great food like this town has never seen before. We’ve set our standards very high."

Marchese said he hopes people feel like they've had a real Italian dining experience after a meal at Main St., and not just because they had a pasta dish or a meatball.

"When you go to an Italian family’s house, you always eat well and you never leave hungry," Marchese said. "That’s what I want to emulate here. Our portions are always huge. I don’t want anybody to go away hungry. So far, it’s been good. People are leaving with doggie bags and I like that."

Jason Ball

Plans for a new 62-room hotel in the Gateway I Corporate Park off Route 98, north of the Thruway, continue to move through the approval process without a hitch.

Last night, the Town of Batavia Planning Board approved an environmental review assessment and the previous evening the Zoning Board of Appeals approved variances for the height of the building and signage. 

The proposed Fairfield Inn will be the second hotel built in the Gateway development within the past five years. In 2011, local hotel owners objected to the planned Holiday Inn Express in the park, but it was approved and built.

The Fairfield Inn will be owned by the Patel family from Erie, Pa., a family that already owns hotels in Batavia.

An attorney for Oakfield Hospitality, LLC, said the owners have marketing studies that show there is still a growing need for hotel rooms in the Batavia market.

The hotel needed a height variance because it will be four stories tall instead of three stories. There is also a plan for a free-standing sign of 147 square feet.

The project must still undergo a site plan review before final approval. The developers are also waiting for the DOT to approve a traffic study.

If there are no delays in the approval process, construction could begin within two months.

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department will be making a repair on a broken water line on Tracy Avenue between Washington Avenue and North Street starting at 9 a.m. today. Tracy Avenue will be closed from Washington Avenue to North Street for all traffic. Please avoid Tracy Avenue until repairs are made. Water service may be interrupted on Tracy to make the repair.

Shade Zajac makes his official debut Sunday as the full-time conductor of the Genesee Symphony Orchestra in a special performance being sponsored by the United Way at Mercy Grove in Le Roy.

Zajac previously conducted the orchestra last season as part of an audition process for the musical director's position with the GSO and was appointed by the GSO board earlier this year.

Mercy Grove is Genesee County's newest event facility and will be a beautiful setting for this special performance.

Tickets are $75 per person and proceeds benefit the United Way and the Genesee Symphony Orchestra.

Party attire is suggested. The event starts at 3:30 p.m. There will be hors d'oeuvres, grazing stations and a cash bar. The GSO performance, "Summer Serenade," begins at 4:45.  

Tickets are available through GSO's website, or at Bank of Castile in Batavia and Le Roy, Roxy's Music, the United Way and GO ART!

Photos are from Monday's rehearsal.

It's August, and Batavia High School Coach Brennan Briggs couldn't be happier. He's got his team right where he wants them, preparing for another football season.

“We’re enthused to be playing football again," said the Blue Devil's head coach. “We back on the gridiron and we love it. We’re excited to be out on the practice field at Van Detta."

Typically, this time of year, Briggs is taciturn about his team's chances in the upcoming season. This August, he isn't mincing words. He's raising expectations for his young players, many of whom are replacing starters that helped Batavia win consecutive Section V championships.

"We need to stay the course, keep the expectations high," Briggs said. "Even though we're young, it doesn't mean we can't go out there and compete for our third title in a row. They need to set the bar high. They have the ability to win a section championship. We've just got to make sure we enjoy the journey and make sure we're getting better every week."

The heart of any offense is the quarterback and with Greg Mruczek's graduation, that opens the position for the 2016 season. Senior Jerry Reinhart has the inside track, but he's got some competition for the slot. Junior Chandler Baker has a chance to win the job.

"Baker is a fantastic athlete and he's pushing Jerry," Briggs said. "He's done a great job. It makes for a great, healthy competition for both guys to compete for the spot. Regardless of who gets the spot, both would make fantastic QBs and both are fantastic receivers. Their athleticism will have an impact, one that is notable on Friday nights."

Both have good arms and can run, Briggs said. Reinhart has a little more experience after backing up Mruczek last season.  

The offensive line is young and several guys are competing for starting positions, but it will be anchored by the experience of Anthony "Butchy" Ray.

On defense, Briggs said the Blue Devils will have bulk on the line and athleticism on the outside, led by Eric Davis and Sam Marble. 

"They're athletic on the ends, so we might be able to get creative with those guys out there," Briggs said. "We might be able to unleash them a bit, which is good if they make sure they know what their number one responsibility is and buy totally into the system. It will give us a different look."

Last year's team was notable for the tight-knit, family-like culture of the team. The young guys aren't quite there yet, but Briggs thinks with time they will get there. It will help with the resilience they'll need to call upon on Friday nights.

"We have a positive group of kids and I'm excited about what they can do," Briggs said.

A multi-vehicle accident with unknown injuries is reported in the area of 6571 Main Road, Stafford.

Stafford Fire and Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 11:05 a.m.: A diesel leak is reported. Fire police requested for traffic control. The westbound lane is blocked.

UPDATE 11:09 a.m.: Le Roy requested to the scene.

UPDATE 11:53 a.m.: A woman was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Memorial Hospital with chest and left leg pain after the maroon sedan she was driving struck a pickup/dumpster truck that was parked just off the roadway, "over the fog line," on Main Road. The driver of the pickup was outside of his vehicle at the time, possibly picking up roadside trash, according to Deputy Joe Loftus. The sedan's front right section struck the truck's back left section and the impact spun the sedan around and it ended up facing in the opposite direction, Loftus said. The female was westbound and "the next thing she knows, she heard a bang ... I don't know if she blacked out or what." The driver of the pickup was not injured.

Pedro Vazquez Diaz, 31, of Bethany Center Road, Bethany, is charged with burglary, 2nd. At 10:21 a.m., Saturday, the Sheriff's Office received a report of a burglary in progress at a residence on Bethany Center Road, Bethany. Deputies and troopers responded, along with Deputy Chris Erion and K-9 Destro. Destro located the suspect in the residence and he was taken into custody. He was jailed without bail.

Tyler D. Price, 23, no permanent address, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Price was allegedly involved in a domestic incident at 12:04 p.m. Sunday on Liberty Street, in violation of a protective order. Price was also arrested on a warrant on an alleged failure to appear for a court appearance on an unrelated charge.

Michael J. Difalco, 28, no permanent address, is charged with harassment, 2nd, criminal mischief, obstructing governmental administration and resisting arrest. Difalco was arrested following an investigation into a domestic incident. He allegedly became combative while in custody and as his case was being processed. He was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Cory J. Trybushyn, 28, of Vine Street, Batavia, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to pay a fine on an attempted petit larceny charge. He turned himself in on the warrant and posted $150 bail.

Michael P. McDonald, 32, of East Avenue, is charged with unlawful imprisonment, 2nd, and endangering the welfare of a child. McDonald was allegedly involved in a domestic dispute. He was jailed on $1,000 bail or $2,000 bond.

Nikki L. Stonebraker, 27, of Liberty Street, Batavia, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Stonebraker allegedly struck the head of a minor against a wall while in the presence of another minor.

Wayny G. Colon, 24, of Amherst Manor Drive, Buffalo, was arrested on a warrant. Colon posted $500 bail and was released. No further details released.

Isaiah J. Munroe, 26, no permanent address, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and harassment, 2nd. Munroe was allegedly involved in a fight with a person on Liberty Street while in the presence of a minor.

Devin P. Hofert, 20, of Hutchins Street, Batavia, is charged with possession of a hypodermic instrument, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, disorderly conduct/unreasonable noise, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal use of drug paraphernalia. Hofert was arrested following a police investigation into a disturbance at 6:09 a.m., Aug. 8, at 33 Dellinger Ave., Batavia. Hofert was allegedly found in possession of 16 hypodermic needles, drug paraphernalia and a switchblade knife.

Matthew Joseph Engert, 25, of Geddes Street, Holley, was arrested on a warrant for alleged failure to appear on an aggravated harassment charge. He was jailed on $2,000 bail.

Jason M. Saeli, 34, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with suspended registration and unregistered motor vehicle. Saeli was arrested on a warrant. 

Matthew B. Starowitz, 27, of Whitney Mill Road, Elba, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Starowitz was arrested during an investigation into a report of a suspicious vehicle occupied by two males at 624 E. Main St., Batavia at 9:10 p.m. on Aug. 8.

A 17-year-old resident of State Street, Batavia, is charged with public lewdness. The youth allegedly displayed an intimate part of his body while in a vehicle parked in a parking lot at 1:15 p.m. Sunday at a location on Veterans Memorial Drive.

Catherine Rose Bater, 36, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with a violation of a Family Court act. Bater turned herself in on a warrant.

Cody Edward Jarmuz, 24, of 7th Street, Buffalo, is charged with driving while ability impaired by a combination of drugs and alcohol, moved from lane unsafely, unlicensed operation, criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and unlawful possession of marijuana. Jarmuz was stopped at 3:06 a.m. Saturday on Route 98, Elba, by Deputy Chris Parker after allegedly being observed unable to maintain his lane of traffic.

Edwin Javier Ortiz, 38, of Cobb Street, Tonawanda, is charged with assault, 3rd. Ortiz allegedly struck another person in the face, breaking that person's nose. The alleged disagreement was over a pool chair and was reported at 5:54 p.m. Aug. 6 at Darien Lake.

A rollover accident, unknown injuries, is reported on the westbound Thruway near mile marker 404.8.

Pembroke and Indian Falls fire departments along with Mercy EMS responding.

UPDATE 11:27 p.m.: Multiple injuries reported. Darien's ambulance requested to the scene.

UPDATE 11:28 p.m.: Transmission is breaking up, but a chief reports "one vehicle off the road, four people involved, three not injured, one minor injuries."  

UPDATE 11:33 p.m.: Another report, two adults, two minors, two with minor injuries, some extrication required, conscious and alert.

UPDATE 11:50 p.m.: All patients extricated.

UPDATE 12:08 a.m.: Responding units back in service.

A burned out socket in a bathroom is the likely cause of smoke in the residence at 6732 Byron Holley Road, Bryon.

The building, an apartment complex, is being evacuated.

Byron fire and South Byron, along with Town of Batavia's Fast Team dispatched. Elba to fill in at Byron's hall.

A caller reports smelling smoke after a possible lightning strike on a residence at 7378 Maple Ave., Bergen.

Bergen fire responding.

Rocky got to visit Hogs for Paws today, the annual fundraiser hosted by Stan's Harley Davidson for Volunteers for Animals.

The volunteers were thrilled to see Rocky again and he was thrilled to see them. Then he got microchipped, which he took like a champ.

There were lots of dogs and people there, which was also thrilling for Rocky.

The Arc of Genesee Orleans is seeking the public's input in a survey on its services.

The agency is the result of a merger between Genesee ARC and Arc of Orleans County.

Executive Director Donna Saskowski said the agency is looking for information that will help it better serve the community. 

"Arc of Genesee Orleans is planning for the future and we are requesting your valuable input," Saskowski said. "As we determine our strategic priorities for the next three to five years, we want to know your thoughts to help us make the best decisions about our future and how we can best support the individuals we serve and our communities in the years to come."

Here is a link to the survey, which will be available until Aug. 19:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ArcGeneseeOrleans

For the sixth-anniversary celebration of Foxprowl Collectables, wrestling legend Greg "The Hammer" Valentine made a guest appearance at the store yesterday afternoon.

Pictured with Valentine are Joy and Bill Hume.

Bill Hume said Valentine was really appreciative of his career and "really down to earth."

When Foxprowl opened on Ellicott Street six years ago, it was just one storefront, but has expanded into a back part of its building, and even that space is getting tight, so Bill Hume said he's planning to move the business next month to the former Genesee Bank building at the corner Main Street and Jackson, giving Foxprowl greater visibility and putting it in walking distance of other retail stores Downtown.

Submitted photo.

Two people fled from a rollover accident on Route 77 near Bloomingdale Road on Friday afternoon, and while the woman was apprehended after a couple of hours, the man -- described as a black male -- continued to elude law enforcement and the volunteer firefighters enlisted to help cordon off the area. 

It was hot -- over 90 degrees -- and humid. After a short, dabbled rain, the sun blazed again on the deputies in their dark uniforms and the firefighters in their turnout gear, and they all continued the search.

Nobody was even sure if the man was still in the area. The woman said a friend had swung down Route 77 and picked him up. But deputies also didn't necessarily believe that tale.

And since he was known to be injured, suffering a facial cut in the accident, and because it was not a good day to be out in the sun losing blood, they searched, unsure why he fled, but certain if he didn't get a ride, he would need help.

The search was called off once, shortly after Erie County's Air One left the area, but then the weather shifted and the State Police helicopter was cleared to fly, so it headed toward Alabama and picked up Deputy Chris Parker (who used to be part of that unit) to continue the search.

By this time, Alabama Chief Gary Patnode was home, resting, as were most of the other firefighters, then Patnode's sister called. She had seen a man walking down Route 77 who matched the description of the man deputies were looking for.

Patnode hopped in his truck and headed south on Alleghany Road. He spotted the man and contacted dispatch, who notified patrols.

Sgt. Jason Saile, who had been part of the search the entire hot afternoon, pulled up behind the man first, got out of his SUV and as the man turned around, hands in the air, Saile put out his own hand, which held a bottle of water.

The man was later identified as Ralph F. Forte, of Rochester. Charges are pending against Forte.

The woman, Sabrina J. Brownell, of Little Genesee, is charged with DWI and is facing other possible charges. 

Brownell suffered minor injuries. Forte suffered cuts on his face from the accident and a possible dislocated arm. He was also suffering from heat exhaustion by the time he was located.

The incident began in Lockport with a report of a rolling domestic on Route 77, with the vehicle heading south. Then Genesee County dispatchers were informed of a rollover accident just north of Bloomingdale Road.

Civilians first on scene uprighted the vehicle and medics saw the two occupants flee, and they provided deputies with a description of the subjects.

When law enforcement arrived, they saw the subjects head into the wooded area just south of Bloomingdale and east of Route 77. A K-9 from Medina joined the search, and Air One from Erie County arrived about 40 minutes later.

During that part of the search, the woman appeared, apparently of her own accord, on a gravel road (a snowmobile trail when there's snow) and Patnode and Saile drove to her location. She was questioned and then provided medical treatment before being transported by Mercy EMS to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Then the search continued, including a time about 20 minutes later when the Air One pilot thought he had spotted the missing black male.

Some 30 minutes later, he still hadn't been located and Air One need to return to Erie County.

Just before a quarter to six, the State Police helicopter arrived on scene. At 6:10 p.m., the subject of the search was spotted on Route 77.

Saile handed him a bottle of water and then the man was allowed to sit in the shade of Saile's patrol vehicle. Medics arrived and provided first aid until a Mercy EMS ambulance arrived. The man was placed on a stretcher and put in the ambulance and transported to Strong.

Also assisting in the case are Deputy Andrew Hale, Deputy Michael Lute and Lt. Todd Draper, and the K-9 patrol with Medina PD.

(Initial report.)

Police chiefs from throughout Western New York are in Batavia today for a golf tournament at Terry Hills.

The gathering of the Western New York Association of Chiefs of Police is a social event and networking opportunity, said Batavia PD's Chief Shawn Heubusch, who helped organize the tournament.

Pictured are Doug Richardson, Rob Ruffner, John Applebee, Bobby Lapidus, playing as a foursome, along with organizers Pete Hoffmeister, left, chief in Warsaw, Heubusch, second from right, and Pete Hoffmeister, far right, chief of Arcade.

A 67-year-old Holley man apparently suffered a medical emergency while driving through Le Roy at 4 a.m., Thursday, causing a series of accidents that led to a utility pole being knocked down and heavy damage to construction trailers at Wolcott Street School.

Douglas M. Howe was reportedly eastbound on East Main Street when he attempted a three-point turn in a 10-wheeler in the area of 57 E. Main St.

Le Roy PD reports that Howe drove the truck over the curb and broke some large branches off a tree in front of that residence.

He then proceeded west for a short distance and his truck went up over the curb in front of 44 E. Main St. The truck struck and snapped a utility pole and crashed into a cobblestone wall.

Howe then apparently backed the truck up and proceeded west on East Main Street. He then drove the truck up over the curb in front of Wolcott Street School. The truck continued south where it struck two construction trailers near the main entrance to the school. The trailers suffered heavy damage and were pushed into the school building, which suffered minor damage.

Howe was transported to UMMC by Le Roy Ambulance for treatment of minor injuries and medical evaluation.

No charges are anticipated at this time. 

Assisting at the scene was the Sheriff's Office and State Police and Le Roy Volunteer Fire Department.

Photos provided by Le Roy PD.

UPDATED at 5:50 p.m.

While the cause of death has yet to be determined, two people who were found dead in the Batavia Cemetery (not St. Joe's as previously reported) were stuck by lightning, a medical examiner has determined.

The deceased are identified as Richard Garlock, 34, and Jenna Macleod, 32.

Batavia PD was dispatched to the cemetery at 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, to check on two people who were found deceased in the cemetery.

Both Garlock and Macleod are people who are familiar to police, but investigators are not really sure why they might have been in a back corner of the Batavia Cemetery at 2:30 a.m. during a lightning storm.

"(They could have been there) to watch the storm roll in and they got hit by lightning," Det. Todd Crossett said. "It's probably that simple. It really could be. It was a spectacular storm. The lightning was just incredible."

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has technology that 95 percent of the time can detect a lightning strike within 600 feet of the exact location where it contacted the ground. 

NOAA has confirmed a lightning strike in the area of the Batavia Cemetery during Wednesday morning's storm.

The Erie County ME determined Garlock and Macleod had injuries consistent with being struck by lightning. 

They were found under a large tree.

"A fence wasn’t too far away," Crossett said. "I’ve seen where fence gets struck, but there’s a root underground. It will travel through the root and pop up someplace else.  Underneath the tree, there are lots of roots that come to the surface, so the tree could have got struck, traveled down the tree, came up through a root and they got the electricity that way. It could have been that, or they could have taken a direct hit. With all that, I don’t think we’ll know how it actually happened. All we can say is, they did get hit with lightning."

There are no burn marks on the tree or other objects. There are also no signs of trauma, though the victims did have some injuries investigators came to believe were consistent with a lightning strike.

There is also no visible evidence, such as paraphernalia in the area, of drug use, though early in the investigation detectives did look into that possibility.

“Why else would you be in the back corner of the cemetery?" Crossett said. "Why is that? I can tell you the detectives who were there and the lead investigator who was there, we were completely open (to any possibility). We didn't rule anything out and we didn't rule anything in."

The cause of death is pending while the Erie County M.E. completes a toxicology report, which could take up to two months.