crime

Murder suspect Scott F. Doll was recently endorsed by Republicans to run on their ticket for mayor in the village of Corfu.

Doll was arraigned earlier today on a felony count of second-degree murder in the death of his business associate and former colleague, Joseph E. Benaquist, who was found bludgeoned to death in his driveway early this morning.

Please see our initial post for the full details.

Corfu Village Clerk Sandra Thomas informed us that Doll had only recently moved back to the village and had no prior experience in the government there. He was endorsed by the Corfu Republicans during a caucus that was held on January 26. Elections for the village are scheduled for March 17.

We left a message for Mayor Todd Skeet. We have not yet heard back. We also tried to contact Andrea Vogler, who was listed as the chair of the Corfu Republicans on the caucus information that was supplied to the county.

Doll's family has been prominent in the Corfu community, where they owned "Doll's Super Duper grocery store" for 40 years, as Scott DeSmit reports for the Daily News.

Officials have yet to release any more information on the business ties between the two men. They have only said that the two were "in business together," and that they picked up used cars at an auction at Clarence which they then sold to customers in the area.

A check at the Genesee County Clerk's Office yielded no significant results when we searched for business information related to Doll and Benaquist. Doll was, however, listed on a financing statement for a loan from Automotive Financing Corp., along with the business SF Enterprizes, which had a listed address of 3 Corfu Plaza.

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This is a look into that plaza from Route 33. We drove through and did not see any signs for a business by the name of SF Enterprizes.

Investigators were absent from the scene of the alleged murder this afternoon at the home of Joseph Benaquist in Pembroke. A lone dog was to be found at the house, chained up out front of the garage.

PEMBROKE, N.Y. — Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha held a press conference this morning on the murder of Joseph E. Benaquist in Pembroke last night. Maha announced the imminent arrest of Scott F. Doll, who is in the process of being charged with second-degree murder.

Please see our earlier post for the full details.

PEMBROKE, N.Y. — A Corfu man who was found walking along North Lake Road in Pembroke soaked in "fresh blood" will be charged with the murder of a Pembroke man who was found bludgeoned to death in the driveway of his home early this morning, Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha said.

Scott F. Doll, 46, of 31 E. Main St., Corfu, will be charged with a felony count of second-degree murder in the death of Joseph E. Benaquist, 66, of 683 Knapp Road, Pembroke.

Deputies received a call last night at approximately 8:41 p.m. with reports of a "suspicious person" walking down North Lake Road in Pembroke. The individual, later identified as Doll, was "dressed all in camouflage" and carrying a car jack, a screwdriver and a lug wrench. When deputies arrived, they noticed that Doll's "clothes and sneakers were pretty well stained in what looked like fresh blood," said Maha.

"They asked him what was going on ... and the person was really quite evasive" said Maha. "The officers knew something wasn't right."

Deputies then determined that Doll had parked a van at a gas station on the corner of North Lake Road and Route 5. They found more blood inside the van and a pair of bloody gloves.

"So we had this person who was acting suspicious who had blood on him, so of course, we didn't buy his story, what he was telling us," said Maha. "So we started an investigation."

A relative of Doll's made comments that led officers to the home of Benaquist who was found dead "lying in a pool of blood in his driveway." Benaquist appeared to have suffered blunt trauma to the face and head.

Doll and Benaquist were acquaintances and "in business together" in an auto dealership that Maha believed to be located in Pembroke. The two men would purchase vehicles from an auction in Clarence, fix them up and then sell them, said Maha.

Doll is currently employed as a corrections officer at Wende Correctional Facility in Alden, Erie County. Benaquist had retired from the same facility, where he also worked as a corrections officer.

Maha said it is too early in the investigation to believe that the auto dealership was the cause of the homicide. No neighbors had reported a fight between the two men last night. But Benaquist's home is "out in the country," said Maha, at least a hundred yards from its nearest neigbor.

Doll has "at least" two children, plus a sister and a brother who live in the area, said Maha. Doll was sent to Genesee County Jail without bail.

The investigation is ongoing. We will get up video coverage of the press conference within the hour.

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Genesee County Sheriff Gary Maha will hold a press conference this morning at 10:00 a.m. at the sheriff's office to "release the details of a homicide that occurred in the town of Pembroke" last night.

We will get up any additional details as they become available.

Update (10:02 a.m.): The Daily News reports this hour that a Corfu man, Scott F. Doll, 46, will be charged later this morning with the murder of Joseph E. Benaquiste, 66. Benaquiste was found "bludgeoned to death" in the driveway of his Pemborke home early this morning.

Lindsi Fauth, 19, of Corfu, was charged with eight counts of petit larceny Sunday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Fauth is accused of voiding purchases for her friends and herself on several occasions while she worked as a cashier at the Target store in Batavia. Voided merchandise totaled some $361.

Matthew S. Fenton, 22, of Elba, was charged with driving while intoxicated early this morning, city police said. Fenton was located on State Street, where he had allegedly crashed into a parked car. He was also ticketed with moving from the lane unsafely and open container of an alcoholic beverage.

State police have made several arrests after setting up a permiter patrol at the site of the crash of Continental Flight 3407 in Clarence Center.

On Friday morning, police charged Thomas Woodman, 19, of Clarence, with trespassing. Troopers located Woodman allegedly hiding behind a residence on Long Road, where he was attempting to video tape the crash site.

That same day, in the afternoon, Paul R. Brenton, 63, of Clarence, was charged with disorderly conduct. Brenton is accused of wandering into the restricted area while he was allegedly intoxicated. He had to be restrained, according to police, to be kept from entering the crash site.

State police also reported that a third individual was charged with a DWI at a roadblock set up nearby.

A state trooper pulled a driver out of his overturned vehicle following a crash on Groth Road in the town of Murray, state police said. Zoltan M. Koleszar, 43, of Medina, was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital for evaluation once he had been freed from the vehicle. Koleszar was charged with driving while intoxicated. He had refused to submit to a breath test at the scene.

State police in Albion had responded to reports of an erratic driver traveling on Route 104. When they arrived on scene, they found that Koleszar had flipped after striking a guardrail. His vehicle was found overturned and partially submerged in a swampy area off the roadway. Trooper Matt Luft was the first on scene and spotted Koleszar still in the vehicle. With the help of fire personnel, Luft pulled the victim out the rear window of the vehicle.

Photo submitted by state police.

Sixteen-year-old Shaquille L. Davis, of Lockport, was charged with two felony counts of second-degree assault and one felony count of first-degree attempted robbery Saturday, city police said. Davis is accused of demanding the coat and money of an individual who was out for a walk during the early morning hours Saturday in the area of Center and Court streets. The victim refused to give up his belongings and attempted to walk away when Davis allegedly punched the victim in the face several times, knocking him to ground and causing serious physical injury, including a broken jaw.

Davis then fled the scene, accordng to victim reports. Police canvassed the area and later located someone matching the description of the attacker amidst a group of others walking along Ellicott Street. Davis was sent to Genesee County Jail without bail. He is due to appear in court Tuesday.

Sara A. Weaver, 39, of Oakfield, was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation Sunday, city police said. Weaver was stopped for an alleged traffic violation on West Main Street in Batavia. She was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $200 bail.

Thomas G. Rowland, 37, of LeRoy, was charged with driving while intoxicated Sunday afternoon, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Rowland was stopped on Hopkins Road in the town of Batavia for an alleged traffic violation. He was also ticketed with driving to the left of the pavement markings.

Margaret A. Oliveri, 48, of Bergen, was charged with driving while intoxicated early Sunday morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Oliveri was stopped for an alleged traffic violation on Townline Road in Byron. She was also ticketed with driving to the left of the pavement markings.

Stephanie DeGeest, 22, of West Seneca, was charged with second-degree harassment and resisting arrest Sunday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. DeGeest is accused of kicking a sheriff's deputy in the groin while she was being detained during a domestic dispute in Pembroke. Deputies also allege that DeGeest continued to fight and resist while she was being placed under arrest. She was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $500 bail.

One of four people murdered over the weekend was a Batavia native, WBTA's Dan Fischer said. Former Lakeside Hospital worker Frank Garcia is accused of shooting five people Saturday, killing four of them. One of the victims, 23-year-old Mary Silliman was born in Batavia, according to Fischer.

Daily News reports reference Silliman as a Corfu native.

The rampage began about 5 a.m. when the suspect drove to Lakeside on Route 31 and found Mary Silliman, a nursing assistant at Lakeside's long-term care facility, outside, apparently on a break, law enforcement sources familiar with the case said. Silliman, 23, lived in Albion and was a former Corfu resident.

Police are still unclear on all the details of the alleged murders. Garcia is also suspected of murdering a Canandaigua couple in their home execution-style later that day. OAS_A

From the Democrat & Chronicle:

Police have not released several details surrounding Saturday's killing spree, including how the suspected killer knew the slain Canandaigua couple or how he spent the nine hours between the first killing and his arrest.

[...]

Garcia, a registered nurse, started working as a per-diem nursing supervisor at Lakeside's Beikirch Care Center in late October or early November, said interim Chief Executive Officer Michael Stapleton. Beikirch Care Center is also where Sillman worked. Garcia's employment was officially terminated last week, though he had not worked a shift "in several weeks," Stapleton said.

Silliman attended Pembroke Central and Batavia High schools, according to Fischer. Check back with that site later for a full obituary on Silliman.

Raymond W. Schramm Jr., 22, of Oakfield, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child Thursday evening, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Schramm's son is alleged to have wandered out of their home some time around 6 o'clock yesterday evening and was outside for approximately 30 minutes before a passing motorist stopped to check on the child. The boy was taken to United Memorial Medical Center and treated for exposure. Schramm will answer the charge in court in March.

Frederick M. White, 71, of 10 Woodland Dr., Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated Thursday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. White was located in his vehicle off the side of the road on Lewsiton Road in Alabama. His vehicle appeared to have gone off the roadway as the result of an alleged unsafe lane change. White was also ticketed with changing lanes unsafely and misuse of dealer plates.

Connie L. King, 37, of Oakfield, was charged with driving while intoxicated early this morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. King allegedly crashed her vehicle on Route 63 in the town of Batavia. She was also ticketed with failure to keep right.

Robert J. Rudnicki, 36, of 4016 W. Main Street Road, Batavia, was charged with a felony count of driving while intoxicated early this morning, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Rudnicki was stopped for alleged traffic violations on Jackson Street in the city of Batavia. He was also ticketed with driving left of the pavement markings in a no passing zone, inadequate headlights and driving without a license.

Joseph J. Ferraro, 55, of Basom, was charged with driving while intoxicated Wednesday afternoon, deputies said. Ferraro was stopped for an alleged traffic violation after he was seen by an off-duty deputy driving erratically on Route 262 in the town of Oakfield. He was also ticketed with moving from the lane unsafely.

Marcchristopher J. Cook, 18, of Corfu, was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment Tuesday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Cook is accused of making phone calls "that served no legitimate purpose" on February 2, after which he allegedly made threats of physical harm to the individual he had called. He was sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail.

Brandon C. Dodd, 22, currently an inmate of Genesee County Jail, was charged with a felony count of first-degree promoting prison contraband Monday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Dodd is accused of possessing a disposable lighter in the jail where is currently incarcerated.

Genesee County Jail, Sheriff Gary Maha explained by e-mail today, is a non-smoking facility. As a result of that, lighters are banned and considered dangerous because of the potential to start a fire.

Kevin Bartz, 32, of Corfu, was charged with two counts of endangering the welfare of a child Monday, sheriff's deputies said. He is accused of pushing an 11-year-old boy on January 31 and kicking a 9-year-old girl on an earlier date.

Shawn R. Goburn, 26, of Williamson, was charged with felony driving while intoxicated Sunday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Goburn was stopped on Route 33 in the town of Bergen for an alleged traffic violating. He was also ticketed with speeding. The charge was a felony because of a prior DWI conviction in 2006.

Amy W. Peters, 36, of Pembroke, was charged with driving while intoxicated Friday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Peters was stopped on Pratt Road in Pembroke for an alleged traffic violation. She was also ticketed with changing lanes unsafely.

Nekia "Nick" Newton, 32, formerly of 7 Central Ave., Batavia, was charged with two felony counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and two felony counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Thursday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Newton had allegedly become aware of a pending drug charges against him in December. At that time, he moved out of his residence in Batavia at 7 Central Ave. and closed his business on West Main Street, the Batavia Detail Center.

Members of the county's local drug task force then tracked Newton to Rochester, where he was located and apprehended at a motel by investigators from the Rochester police department. Newten was sent to Genesee County Jail yesterday pending an arraignment in court today.

Donald Cordoba, 26, of Darien, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana Thursday, deputies said. Cordoba was found to be in possession of the drug at 282 Route 20, Room No. 6, Darien.

Elizabeth Weiner, 18, of Rochester, was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana Saturday, deputies said. Weiner was found to be in possession of the drug following an interview on Silker Road in Pembroke.

A man who was found dead in his home earlier today following a police standoff in the village of LeRoy was being investigated for "unlawful videotaping of underage persons," village police said this hour.

The man's identity is still being witheld pending notification of his next of kin. He lived at 128 Lake Street in LeRoy, where the apparent suicide took place earlier today. Please see our earlier post for the rest of the details.

Updated (6:06 p.m.): Village police have identified the man who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound today as 38-year-old Cary M. Felgenhauer of 128 Lake St., LeRoy.

A 38- or 39-year-old man who has not yet been identified was found dead inside his home of a gunshot wound following a police standoff outside the Lake Street residence, according to LeRoy Chief of Police Christopher Hayward. Police will not yet comment if the wound was self-inflicted, though Hawyard said that it does not seem to be otherwise.

Hayward explained that village officers went to the home at 128 Lake Street at 10:30 a.m. to execute a search warrant. When the officers approached, they heard a gunshot and immediately backed off to "establish a perimeter." Assistance was requested from the state police, county sheriff personnel and the city of Batavia's Emergency Response Team. A robot was also brought to the scene to enter the residence and establish contact with the individual believed to be inside.

Police attempted to enter the residence with the robot, but it was unable to negotiate the "layout" of the home. Entry was made by the SWAT team into the home some time before 1 o'clock and officers found the individual inside dead from a gunshot wound.

Residents in the homes adjacent to the property were all evacuated, but they have since been allowed to return to their homes, said Hayward.

"What brought us here, the investigation itself, was less than 24 hours old," said Hayward, adding that the individual in question was "not known" to himself prior to this incident, indicating no prior criminal history. "It would not be appropriate to comment at this point."

Hayward also declined to comment on the nature of the search warrant.

"I don't want to leave it open to speculation as to why we were there."

We are expecting more information on the incident later today. We will report it as it becomes available.

Chief Hayward:

LeRoy village police are expected to hold a press conference at 1 o'clock today at the Village Hall on the "police incident" that has been ongoing since this morning. At last report, police were prepared to enter a home on Lake Street where an individual is believed to be holed up inside with a weapon. A robot was going to be used to enter the premises, but reports on the scanner indicated the robot was not functioning.

We will have more on this as it becomes available. Video of the press conference will be available later this afternoon.

Lake Street (Route 19) between Main Street and West Bergen Road is still closed at this hour.

We're trying to get information on a "police incident" in the village of LeRoy that's got county-wide attention at this hour. The "incident" has closed down Lake Street (Route 19) in the village between Main Street (Route 5) and West Bergen Road. LeRoy police are handling the situation, we've been told. However, we were unable to get any more details. A LeRoy dispatcher informed us that she was too busy to talk about what was happening. We will keep on this throughout the afternoon.

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Update (11:48 a.m.): Dan Fischer reports on the WBTA Web site that the incident is near the 100 block of Lake Street (Route 19), and that homes adjacent to the property inquestion have been evacuated.

UPDATE (12:07 p.m. by Howard): Dan Fischer just said there were reports of shots fired this morning, but whether shots were fired are unconfirmed.  Philip is headed to the media staging area and will report from the scene.

UPDATE (12:32 p.m. by Howard): Dan Fischer reports that one person with a weapon is believed holed up in a home on Lake Road.

Kevin C. Johnson, 24, of 112 Jackson St., Batavia, was charged with two felony counts of second-degree rape, three felony counts of second-degree criminal sexual act and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor charge, city police said. Johnson was arrested Tuesday and sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. He is accused of maintaining a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl from September, 2008 through to February of this year. Johnson would allegedly have the girl stay over at his house where they engaged in sexual relations.

Juan Roman, 32, of 28 Porter Ave., Batavia, was charged with first-degree unlawful imprisonment, third-degree assault and petit larceny, city police said. Roman was arrested Tuesday and sent to Genesee County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. No details were given on the crimes which are alleged to have occurred in September, last year.

William Hirsch, 21, of Pavilion, was charged with second-degree criminal contempt Sunday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Hirsch is accused of violating an order of protection.

Ryan Park, 25, of unknown domicile, was charged yesterday with disorderly conduct and petit larceny, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Park was located in a Sugar Creek store in Bergen, which he was allegedly refusing to leave. Deputies had received reports that Park was intoxicated, and when they attempted to remove him from the store, Park allegedly used "obscene language."

An alcohol sales compliance check in the city over the weekend yielded charges for one sales clerk. From the city police department:

The Police in conjunction with Drug Free Communities conducted an Alcohol Compliance check. The compliance check is designed to ensure alcohol retail establishments are properly determining alcohol is not being served to underage individuals. The results of Saturday’s check were positive; several establishments diligently checked the underage “agents” ID confirming he was not of age to buy alcohol. Only one store did not check ID and sold alcohol to our underage agent. The Clerk who sold the alcohol was ticketed for the charge of providing alcohol to a minor. The clerk is a youthful offender and will have a court appearance in the City of Batavia Court. As part of the program the clerk will be offered the chance to partake in server training, a program sponsored by GCASA (Genesee County Alcohol and Substance Abuse). Successful completion will result in the dismissal of charges.

Mark A. Antinore, 30, of 5100 Clinton Street Road, Batavia, was charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI Monday, Genesee County sheriff's deputies said. Antinore was stopped on Route 33 in Stafford following reports of an erratic driver in the area. Antinore was also ticketed with speeding.