crime

Dawn M. Davis, 46, of Medina, was charged with driving while intoxicated and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Sunday afternoon in the K-mart parking lot in Batavia, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Davis allegedly backed into a parked car in the lot. When deputies arrived they found that she had several pills in her pocket and she was under the influence. She was also ticketed with backing unsafely.

Christine E. Garland, 36, of 8069 Kelsey Rd., Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated early Sunday morning in Oakfield, deputies said. She was stopped by deputies on South Pearl Street. Garland was also ticketed with moving from the lane unsafely and insufficient tail lamps.

We received this letter this morning from Ed Minardo, director of Genesee Justice. It's from the mother of Desean Gooch, and it's addressed to the Genesee County Community. Here it is, in full:

Thanks to the Genesee County Community

On 10-9-08, it will be the second anniversary of the date that my son Desean Gooch was killed in Batavia.  I want to take this opportunity first to remember the short but joyful life of Desean, and also to send a thank you to those agencies and individuals that were of great comfort and assistance to us in our family’s time of need.  This was especially important to us as we had to endure Desean’s death, police investigation, prosecution and disposition from out of state.  The staff of Genesee Justice was a constant source of information, support and caring that kept us connected to agencies and events that were taking place.  The outstanding efforts by the Officers and Detectives of the Batavia City Police Department in identifying the individuals and evidence involved in Desean’s shooting death were remarkable.  In addition to their professional demeanor, they were there for our family as compassionate human beings to recognize the depth of our loss.  The Genesee County District Attorney’s Office did a wonderful job of presenting the facts in the trial and including us in the plea offerings of the various defendants.  We would also like to extend our appreciation to County Court Judge Noonan and the jury for their role in the trial which ultimately resulted in the conviction and incarceration of the individual directly responsible for Desean’s death.   The tragedy of Desean’s death was made a bit easier to bear with the help of all the caring, professional people in Genesee County.  We wanted you to know that you are appreciated and remembered!

The Mother and Family of Desean Gooch

Jeanine D. Fuller, 22, of 8 S. Main St., Batavia, was charged with a felony count of criminal possession of stolen property Wednesday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Fuller is accused of stealing a credit card and using it to to buy merchandise that was not authorized by the card holder. She was also charged with petit larceny and unlawful possession of personal identification information.

Jessica L. Pittler, 18, of Lockport, was charged with a felony count of second-degree forgery and a felony count of second-degree identity theft Wednesday, state police said. Pittler is accused of stealing a credit card from an acquaintance and making purchases that totalled nearly $630. She was sent to Niagara County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail.

Genesee County was the site of several crashes over the past few days.

• Katelyn D. George, 17, of Byron, was driving along Bank Street Road in Elba Wednesday evening when she veered into the other lane and off the road, crashing into a pair of trees, deputies said.
• Zachary M. Rebert, 17, of Oakfield, was driving along Maple Avenue Tuesday afternoon when he failed to stop for a red light at the intersection of Route 63, deputies said. Rebert's vehicle crashed into the driver's side of a car driven by P. M. Leszczynski, 52, of Medina.
• Cassandra L. Ribbeck, 18, of 149 Oak St., Batavia, was driving along Beaver Road in Alexander Wednesday evening when she lost control of her truck, possibly driving too fast on wet roads, deputies said. Her truck hydroplaned and drove off the road, striking a fence post, continuing on through a field and striking an earth embankment where the truck was flipped up on its side.
• Breann Blackchief, 21, of Basom, and Tashina C. Abrams, 21, of Akron, were riding a pair of ATVs on Meadville Road in Alabama Tuesday evening when they crashed, deputies said. Blackchief had not noticed that Abrams had stopped and crashed into the back of her. Blackchief was ejected from the ATV, landing in the middle of the road.

There was no mention in the releases of any injuries. We put in a call to the sheriff's department to find out if there were inuries. We will report that information when it becomes available.

Stephanie R. Cotton, 33, of 335 Bank St., C1, Batavia, was charged with a felony count of first-degree perjury Monday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Cotton is accused of making false statements while under oath during a county family court proceeding in April when she was facing a charge of fifth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance. Cotton was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $5,000.

Shaun A. DiSalvo, 30, of Linwood Avenue in Batavia was apprehended Saturday morning at 4:30 a.m. for allegedly operating an ATV while intoxicated and unlawful possession of Marijuana.  Batavia officers report they spotted DiSalvo operating the ATV north on Route 98. When they attempted to stop ATV, he initially tried to flee, according to the report. After a brief pursuit, he stopped on South Jackson.  He also received citations for operating an ATV on a public highway.

Edwin L. Stancliff, 29, of Ocala, Fla., was arrested in Pembroke Thursday at 5:43 p.m. for allegedly operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Corfu police officers report they made the arrest after a traffic accident. According to the report, Stancliff was driving without a license and fled from the scene of the crash.

Melvin G. Draper, Jr., 27, of Walnut Street in Batavia, was arrested Saturday at 10:19 p.m. after reportedly operating a vehicle involved in a single-car accident that left a female passenger hospitalized with internal injuries. A 15-year-old passenger was uninjured. Draper was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the first degree, endangering the welfare of a child, driving while intoxicated, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and speed not reasonable.  The accident occurred with Draper was reportedly operating the vehicle eastbound on Batavia-Elba Townline Road at a high speed on a wet road. Police say Draper lost control of the vehicle and it slid into a ditch and became airborne after hitting a driveway.  The report says Draper then left the scene and went to a nearby friend's house. He later returned to the scene.

David W. King, Jr., 27, of Lockport Road, Elba, was arrested Friday at 11:28 p.m. for allegedly operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs. He was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, speeding and an unsafe lane change. Police report that they found King with a glass crack pipe and crack cocaine.

Gordon C. Gonyo, 54, of Byron Road in Byron, was arrested Saturday at 6:37 p.m. for allegedly driving while intoxicated. Gonyo was apprehended after a complaint about a vehicle being operated erratically on Byron Road.

Paul M. Rossiter, 19, of Woodstock Gardens, Batavia, was arrested Saturday evening on Route 237 in Byron for alleging possessing marijuana. Rossiter was reportedly the passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over in a traffic stop by a sheriff's deputy.

William Stephans, Jr., 41, of Lake Street in LeRoy, was arrested for allegedly driving while under the influence. He was stopped by a deputy on Route 5 in Stafford.

Both of these incidents were reported in press releases from the Genesee County Sheriff's Department.

Many thanks to Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Thompson for taking the time to introduce me—and by extension, all of you—to the newest member of the county force: Finn, the Czech Shepherd. Finn was purchased by the force through donated funds to help mostly on search missions, whether that means he's looking for a criminal hiding in a building or a bag of pot strapped under a Lexus. Take a look:

Edwin L. Stancliff, 29, of Florida, was charged with driving while intoxicated Tuesday in the town of Pembroke, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Stancliff crashed his vehicle on Route 5, damaging property, then fled the scene. He was also ticketed with unlicensed operation, moving from the lane unsafely and leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Darryl M. Cummings, 31, of Buffalo, was charged with third-degree assault related to an incident at Darien Lake Theme Park in August, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Cummings is accused of punching a man in the face during an argument at the park.

George Dagraca, of 5 Thomas Ave., Apt. 2, Batavia, was charged with a felony county of failure to register as a sex offender, city police said. Dagraca allegedly moved from Massachusetts to Batavia on August 11 or 12, but he did not register with the city police department until August 28.

City police were alerted to a break in at the Harvester Center yesterday by one of the shop owners there, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer. Police located 27-year-old Brian Jurewicz, of North Spruce Street, Batavia, nearby. Jurewicz was charged with a felony count of burglary and may face additional charges. Police allege that Jurewicz entered several businesses at the center and caused damage inside. He was sent to Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail. There is no mention in the report of the degree of the burglary charge, nor of what Jurewicz took from the businesses, if anything.

In other news, city police are looking for the owner of a dog that bit a child on the leg Sunday night. No charges are pending, but the police want to verify the vaccination records for the dog. The owner is described as a black male, between 35 and 40 years old. He was walking the dog on Jackson Street nearby the Salvation Army when the dog nipped the child on the leg.

Scott A. Manza, 48, of Le Roy, was charged with second-degree harassment Friday afternoon in Batavia, Genesee County sheriff's deputies. Manza is accused of slapping a mental health worker across the face during an interview.

Sabrina I. Hyde, 34, of 219 N. Spruce St., Apt. 5, Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated early Saturday morning, city police said. Hyde allegedly backed into another vehicle out front of her residence.

Kevin Weber, 37, of Vine St., Apt 3, Batavia, was arrested and charged with third-degree arson, city police said today. That arrest followed witness reports that Weber was responsible for a fire Monday at a storage shed at 25 Vine St. that caused minor damage to the structure. Police and fire personnel had responded to the scene of the fire Monday night, although upon their arrival the fire was already extinguished. No injuries were reported as a result of the fire. Weber was sent to Genesee County Jail without bail.

City police reported that 56 traffic tickets were issued during an enforcement patrol on Law, Oak and Ellicot Streets and Richmond Avenue during the month of September.

From the press release:

The tickets were issued for equipment violations, failure to wear seat belts, as well as suspended registrations and licenses. One fugitive from justice from Homeland Security was detained as a result of the operation.

Two separate operations focusing on commercial traffic were conducted. Officers issued 36 tickets with 6 commercial vehicles being removed from the highway due to safety concerns.

Det. Richard Schauf supplied this additional information about the fugitive arrest:

"As a result of one of the cars stopped during the operation a license check revealed that the person was wanted by Homeland Security. The division of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took custody of the individual and transported to their facility."

Christopher A. Laird, 16, of Elba, was charged with a felony count of third-degree burglary yesterday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Laird was reported missing on Saturday and was subsequently spotted by police in the village of Le Roy on Wednesday. Once he was seen, Laird allegedly fled. Police then searched the area with the help of sheriff's deputies and state police, including the state aviation unit. Laird was eventually located and arrested at a residence on Transit Road in Elba, where he had stolen a Polaris Trail Blazer off-road four-wheeler. He was arrested, charged with burglary and sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail.

Ryan M. Norton, 34, of Le Roy, was charged with second-degree harassment and endangering the welfare of a child yesterday evening, deputies said. During an argument at his residence on Summit Street in Le Roy, Norton allegedly strangled and struck a woman and endangered the welfare of a 14-year-old child.

All above reports issued in published releases from the department.

City police are investigating a string of downtown burglaries over the past several weeks, the most recent at St. Joseph's School on Summit Street, which was broken into twice on Monday and Tuesday, according to the Daily News. Palace of Sweets in Batavia City Centre was the target last week, according to Det. Richard Schauf, who told reporter Scott DeSmit that the thief made off with about $900 in cash and may have had the key to the office.

The burglar broke glass to enter the store and then opened steel blinds which bar entry to the store after-hours, to get back onto the mall concourse and, apparently, leave the building.

Dan's Tire Service and Ponderosa Restaurant were also broken into in August. Nothing was taken from the restaurant. Dan's Tires reported about $155 in cash missing from the register.

The Batavian called the police chief Tuesday morning to get some information about the downtown burglaries. We had received reports of the robberies, and several readers had come to us looking for more information about the city's law enforcement. One reader said she heard a lot of sirens over the weekend, more than seemed usual. We phoned the dispatch center to inquire about the sirens. We were told that they do not log calls in a blotter and were too busy to provide any other information.

Dan DiLaura, owner of Dan's Tire, told us that the burglary there on August 23 happened around 10:00pm. The thief smashed a window at the garage and left a blood trail leading from the entry to the cash register. DiLaura said it was a bit puzzling, because the thief seemed to know the exact location of the money, judging by the trail. Also puzzling, the $1,500 flat-screen television about a dozen feet from the cash register was left untouched.

Forty-four-year-old Thomas K. Lee was charged with a felony count of first-degree criminal contempt and a felony count of second-degree assault last night, city police said. Lee is accused of violating an order of protection by going to the home of his ex-wife. When police tried to arrest Lee at the home on MacArthur Drive, Lee allegedly punched one of the officers in the face. He was sent to Genesee County Jail without bail.

Christopher R. Waite, 19, of Oakfield, was charged with third-degree criminal trespass Monday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Waite is accused of entering a home on S. Pearl St. without the owner's permission. Deputies did not say why or how Waite entered the property.

Lincoln A. DeCoursey, 30, of Pavilion, was charged with a felony count of driving while intoxicated Monday, deputies said. DeCoursey was stopped and ticketed with speeding on Route 5 in the town of Stafford when deputies found him allegedly under the influence.

Timothy R. Howard, of Lockport, was charged with a felony count of third-degree criminal possession of marijuana Friday, state police said. Howard was allegedly found with nearly 11 ounces of marijuana following a traffic stop on Dysinger Road in the town of Lockport.

Theresa E. Silliman, 40, of 3207 Pratt Road, Batavia, was charged with second-degree harassment Thursday, deputies said. Silliman is accused of slapping another woman across the face during a verbal argument.

Ten people were charged with driving while intoxicated following a state police "saturation patrol" that was set up after the Buffalo Bills game on Sunday. Another 34 traffic tickets were passed out. Those who were charged with DWI include:

• Mark A. Nickerson, 26, of Dunkirk.
• Jeremy R. Tanner, 22, of Turtlepoint, Penn.
• Yebishawn L. Snyder, 33, of Salamanca.
• Erin R. Close, 26, of Buffalo.
• Carl A. Speck, 53, of Niagara Falls.
• Lisa A. Knowlton, 53, of Grand Island.
• Jason K. Kirchner, 26, of Niagara Falls.
• Lawrence M. Haberer III, 52, of Stowe, Ohio.
• Eric W. Kerwin, 32, of Strykersville.
• Christie L. Novak, 33 of Boston, N.Y.
  

Above information was provided in a published release from the state police.

WBTA's Dan Fischer spoke with the daughter of Robert Kirkup this morning following Kirkup's sentencing of 5 to 15 years in prison for killing his wife in Genesee County during a camping trip 16 years ago. Lawler asked the court to give her father the maximum sentence. You can hear why daughter Susan Lawler suspected all along that her father was responsible for the death of her mother, Janet Kirkup. Listen to the audio clip here.

Kirkup told the court that he regretted choking his wife to death and then burying her in a shallow grave in the town of Darien, which has not yet been found.

Kirkup was transferred to Genesee County in June following the resurrection of the investigation by a cold case team from California, where Kirkup was then located. In court on August 12, Kirkup said that he killed his wife in self defense.

Dan Fischer reports:

Susan Lawler said she will now turn her attention to finding her mother’s remains. Kirkup had three daughters. Susan was the only one to speak at this morning’s sentencing. His oldest daughter submitted a letter to the court supporting her father.

In other news, a house fire in South Byron required the efforts of six fire crews to battle the blaze that was still burning at noon today. No injuries were yet reported, according to Dan Fischer. Byron, South Byron, Bergen, Elba, Stafford and Le Roy departments responded to the fire at East Main Road at the corner of Mechanic Street.

Motorists dropping off students at Batavia High School are urged not to use the central bus loop, which is for buses only, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer. There are safety concerns in allowing buses and passenger vehicles in the same area. If you are picking up or dropping off students, please use the "pick-up circle" near the band room.

City Council will meet tonight at 7:00pm in the Council chambers at City Hall.

Two children died in a house fire Sunday in the village of Fredonia. More details can be found in an article from the Jamestown Post-Journal.

In Medina, a school teacher was arrested and charged with official misconduct. Scott Ballard, 33, is accused of initiating relationships with two of his former students. More details can be found in an article from the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal.

State police are looking for any information related to a string of burglaries in and around the Niagara County town of Gasport. Items reported stolen include: computer equipment, fishing equipment, golfing equipment, New York State inspection stickers, automotive diagnostic equipment, a 1979 Harley Davidson motorcycle, a Mongoose bicycle, jewelry and money.

From the press release:

The Niagara County Sheriff’s Department recovered two bicycles from an attempted burglary at the Gasport Marina on Telegraph Road. A younger looking white male was scene running from the scene.

Anyone with information concerning these thefts is asked to contact Inv. Thomas Gibbons at the State Police in Lockport at (716) 434-5588.