U.S. Rep. Chris Lee, representing New York's 26th District, including Genesee County, has reportedly resigned his congressional seat following a report by Gawker.com that he was trolling Craigslist for women.

UPDATE: Chris Lee released this statement:

“It has been a tremendous honor to serve the people of Western New York. I regret the harm that my actions have caused my family, my staff and my constituents. I deeply and sincerely apologize to them all. I have made profound mistakes and I promise to work as hard as I can to seek their forgiveness.

“The challenges we face in Western New York and across the country are too serious for me to allow this distraction to continue, and so I am announcing that I have resigned my seat in Congress effective immediately.”

Lee became caught up in a sex scandal today when New York City-based Gawker reported the the second-term congressman was apparently trolling Craigslist for women.

According to reporter Maureen O'Connor, Lee exchanged e-mails with a woman who placed a personal ad on Craigslist in the women-seeking-men category. Lee had told her he was divorced and a lobbyist, according to the report, and in the course of the e-mail exchange he sent along a shirtless picture himself.

The woman, according to Gawker, cut off correspondance with him after doing a little Google research and finding out who he really was. She then contacted Gawker thinking it was a 'humorous story."

There's no allegation in the story that Lee actually "hooked up" with that woman or any other woman through Craigslist.

UPDATE: Here's how the Washington Post reported it:

Lee experienced his fall from grace in a single afternoon, undone at the speed of the digital age. At lunchtime Wednesday, he was an obscure but promising second-term congressman. Then, at 2:33 p.m., the Web site Gawker.com posted an alleged e-mail exchange between a man who used Lee's name -- but identified himself as a divorced lobbyist -- and an unidentified woman. Gawker reported that the two had met through the personals section of Craigslist.

After that, the familiar cycles of a Washington sex scandal were compressed into a blur of tweets and news alerts. There was confusion, a hint of denial, then a pledge from Lee to "work it out" with his wife.

By 6 p.m., a clerk was announcing Lee's resignation in the House chamber.

A van rollover accident is reported at 751 Lewiston Road, Alabama.

Unknown injuries, but a caller says no one has exited the vehicle.

Alabama Fire and Mercy medics are responding.

UPDATE 12:58 p.m.: The driver is uninjured and out of the van. The medics are cancelled. Alabama rescue is also cancelled. State Police are on scene.

The Honda that crossed the center line and struck an SUV in a fatal accident yesterday may have been going too fast for conditions, according to Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble, Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

It was under 9 degrees and there was still ice and snow on West Main Street Road at 9:02 a.m. when the accident ocurred.

The investigation is ongoing and there is still much to be learned about what happened, according to Dibble.

"There may be other factors that our investigation will eventually uncover," Dibble said.

Nineteen-year-old Delores Opuku-Boateng, a Batavia resident and student at GCC, died at the scene after being ejected from the Honda.

The driver, 21-year-old Levert R. Kimble, of Batavia, was seriously injured and transported to ECMC. He's out of intensive care and listed in stable condition, according to ECMC patient information.

The other driver, Justin J. Jaszko, 31, suffered a leg injury and was treated at UMMC.

A friend of Delores Opuku-Boateng, the 19-year-old GCC student killed in an accident on West Main Street Road, Batavia, yesterday posted this tribute video on YouTube and the GCC Facebook page.

Burnette McWilliams, 56, of Bartlett Street, Rochester, is charged with criminal impersonation, 2nd, aggravated unlicensed operation, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, unlicensed operation and following too closely. McWilliams is accused of causing a motor-vehicle accident in December in Oakfield. McWilliams allegedly told Deputy Brian Thompson  that her name was Barbara Brown. Upon further investigation, it was determined that McWilliams allegedly provided a false identity and was driving on a suspended license. McWilliams turned herself in to the Sheriff's Office on Monday.

 A 23-year-old snowmobile rider was seriously injured Tuesday evening after the vehicle he was riding struck a tree.

Nathan C. Swimline, of Boyce Road, Pembroke, was transported to ECMC by Mercy Flight with internal injuries.

Swimline was riding his snowmobile at 6:39 p.m. eastbound on Genesee Sno-Packers secondary trail GS 207, East Pembroke, when his vehicle traveled off the south side of the trail and struck a tree. Swimline was partially ejected from the snowmobile. 

According to the accident report, Swimline has five years experience with snowmobiles and was driving a 2004 Polaris Switchback, 700cc.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

UPDATE: According to ECMC patient information, Swimline is out of intensive care and listed in stable condition.

(Initial Report)

A driver was issued three citations following a secondary accident on Byron Road yesterday afternoon.

The driver and another car were approaching an accident scene on Byron Road at 4:42 p.m. when his car rear-ended the other car.

Cited for allegedly following too closely, aggravated unlicensed operation and driving on a suspended license was 41-year-old Scott P. Dunham, of Batavia.

Dunham's car hit one driven by Patricial Williams, 41, of Byron. Williams and her passenger, Lauren E. Williams, 11, suffered minor injuries and were transported to UMMC.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Joseph Graff.

(Initial Report)

 A car is on its side in the area of Route 33 and Old State Road, Byron.

A deputy called in that three or four cars were off the road and then said, "now I've got a rollover." 

There is a reported minor injury.

Byron and South Byron fire dispatched along with Mercy EMS.

UPDATE 8:37 a.m.: Bergen's rescue engine requested to the scene to help with extrication. Mercy EMS told to continue non-emergency.

A car has struck a utility pole and a 500-gallon diesel fuel tank on Batavia-Stafford Townline Road near R. Steven Hawley Drive.

The tank, on a farm at the location, was ruptured at a seam and was leaking fuel. The leak is now stopped.

The driver is out of the vehicle and walking around.

Both Stafford Fire Department (the accident is in the Stafford district) and Town of Batavia fire have responded.

UPDATE 4:56 a.m.: A fuel specialist from a local fuel company requested to the scene to help drain the remaining 200 to 300 gallons of fuel in the tank. Also, dispatch asked to contact the father of the driver. "Let him know (his son) is OK. He just needs a ride home."

The road is  being kept open.

For the second time this season, the Lady Lancers came up just points short against Notre Dame, dropping an emotional rematch in Elba, 43-40.

Notre Dame remains undefeated at 15-0 and Elba drops to 12-3.

The Lady Irish were led by Liz Geandreau, who scored 15 points with seven rebounds, and Riley Norton, 11 points and seven rebounds.

For Elba, Meg Stucko had 14 points and 16 rebounds and Racheal Cook scored 12 points.

To purchase pictures from this game (site template a little messed up right now, but site otherwise working) click here.

More pictures after the jump:

A snowmobiler has struck a tree on a trail just north of 2274 Angling Road. East Pembroke Fire Department is responding along with Mercy medics.

The victim is unable to get off the trail.

UPDATE 6:35 p.m.: Mercy Flight status to fly is requested and the caller is told it is unable to fly.

UPDATE 6:38 p.m.: The victim is said to be off the trail, and an emergency responder is "taking a snowmobile to the accident."

UPDATE 6:40 p.m.: A Mercy Flight helicopter out of Buffalo has been started toward the accident scene. A landing zone is to be established at Pembroke School.

UPDATE 6:58 p.m.: Mercy Flight says it's two minutes away from landing. The pilot is told the victim seems to have only internal injuries and is awaiting their arrival inside the ambulance.

UPDATE 7:13 p.m: East Pembroke Fire Department and Mercy medics are back in service. Presumably, the victim is being taken to Strong Memorial Hospital.

Mercy Flight was used to transport an injured person to a hospital following an incident at Billy Goats at 2 a.m., Jan. 31 and Batavia Police would like to interview witnesses to determine what happened.

The investigation is pending and police have released no details.

Witnesses should contact Officer Eric Bolles at 345-6350 or leave a message at 345-6444.

Investigators believe that a fire in Bergen on Monday night was deliberately set. Nobody was injured in the fire.

The fire, reported at 9:10 p.m., destroyed an old trailer and two cars used for parts at Bergen Auto Recycling, 7652 Clinton St. Road.

Deputy Chief Jerry Brewster said investigators don't have much to go on.

"The owner of the yard has no idea of why anyone would do this," Brewster said. "There was scant evidence...a set of snow-covered footprints approaching the RV and then leaving."

Brewster said Jim Bouton of Genesee County Emergency Services determined the fire was likely deliberately set.

Brewster said he was told the trailer was worthless.

"I presume that some type of accelerant was probably used," Brewster said.

Fire departments from Bergen, South Byron and Churchville responded to the scene.

 A two-car accident with a possible minor injury is blocking the eastbound lane of West Main Street, Le Roy.

One subject is complaining of a possible arm injury.

The accident occured in the area of 70 West Main St.

Le Roy Fire and Ambulance responding. 

A different car accident in the same location as one just awhile ago has been reported in the vicinity of 6945 Byron Road in Byron. There are injuries, however, in this incident.

The vehicle veered off the roadway. Byron Fire Department was headed back to quarters after handling the earlier accident when this call came in. The crew turned around and went back to the location. Mercy medics are also on scene. Fire police being sent in to shut down traffic.

UPDATE 5:20 p.m.: Byron fire is back in service. There are two female victims and both are being taken to UMMC.

A car has struck trees at 6945 Byron Road in Byron. Law enforcement on scene requests evaluation of the driver.

Byron Fire Department and Mercy BLS are responding.

UPDATE 4:38: Byron fire went back in service after a patient sign-off for this accident.

City DPW workers were busy Monday night in Downtown Batavia. Crews hauled off a good deal of the snow that was blocking walkways between parking and the sidewalk along Main Street. Tim Walton supplied the picture below of the snow removal.

Chelsie R. Dibble is indicted on a felony charge of DWI and a felony charge of driving with a BAC of .18 or greater. Dibble is accused of driving drunk Sept. 19 on Hopkins Road.

No other grand jury indictments were released this week.

Scott Dennis Boyles, 31, of Warsaw Road, Le Roy, is charged with two counts of criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. Boyles is accused of preventing another person from making a call to the Sheriff's Office during an alleged domestic incident. He's also accused of damaging a chair in the residence and having physical contact with the other person.

Randy R. Skrypek, 35, of Cluber Road, Rochester, is charged with DWI and driving with a BAC of .08 or greater. He was arrested following a report of a domestic incident on Fisher Road, Oakfield, at 4:45 p.m., Monday. Skrypek allegedly drove to the location in an intoxicated condition.