PHILMONT–Sheriff’s deputies investigated a home invasion involving weapons during the pre-dawn hours of March 9 in the village.
At 4:09 a.m. Sergeant Donald Krapf and Deputy Jason Garvey were summoned by County 911 to a residence on Eagle Street, where several people forced their way into an apartment and demanded money.
A 24-year-old woman and 25-year-old man live in the apartment with their 5-year-old daughter, 4-year-old son and a seven-month-old daughter. They were all asleep when the parents awoke to the sounds of someone breaking into the apartment.
The father confronted the intruders, who were wearing hooded sweatshirts with their faces covered. They appeared to have handguns. The perpetrators demanded money, took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the apartment on foot, according to a press release from Sheriff David Harrison, Jr.
No one was hurt during the incident and the case is under investigation. Sheriff’s investigators and deputies were on scene and in the Philmont area for most of the day.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office investigators at 518 828-4316.
Copake
A fire at Camphill Village, 33 Ring Road did extensive damage to the communities’ co-op building, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. Food is distributed to residents of the community that serves developmentally disabled adults from the building, which also houses a maple syrup boiler. It’s believed that the boiler overheated and started a fire in the wooden, one-story structure. Residents from adjacent buildings were safely evacuated. Copake, Ancram and Craryville firefighters were able to contain the fire. Fire officials reported the fire knocked down at 7:48 p.m. No injuries were reported.
Craryville
Hasonn A. Campbell, 31, of Copake was charged with felony second degree assault, felony second degree strangulation, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal impersonation by Trooper Eric Buchinsky, February 19 at 9:20 p.m.
Mr. Campbell allegedly struck a 20-year-old woman in the head with a phone and then choked her during a dispute. He allegedly committed the acts in the presence of the woman’s two-year-old child, who Mr. Campbell also allegedly pushed. When Mr. Campbell was being taken into custody, he allegedly identified himself by a false name to the trooper because he knew he was wanted on warrant in Hudson. Arraigned in Copake Court, before Justice john Spencer, Mr. Campbell was sent to the Columbia County Jail without bail.
Claverack
State Police investigated a two-car personal injury accident at the intersection of routes 66 and 9H, February 19 at 10:03 p.m.
A 2009 Chevrolet driven by Nicholas Martin, 23, of Stuyvesant was southbound on Route 66 when the driver attempted to make a left turn onto Route 9H and crossed into the path of a 2010 Chrysler operated by Ramel Tapia, 24, of Greenport, who was traveling north on Route 66.
Both vehicles sustained extensive front end damage.
The Greenport Rescue Squad took Mr. Martin to Columbia Memorial Hospital. He was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way. Sergeant Brian Colwell and Troopers Carmen Martino and Larry Domkoski investigated. West Ghent firefighters assisted at the scene.
Drugs/alcohol
The following face drug- and/or alcohol-related charges:
*Audrey McCormick, 20, of Hillsdale was charged with driving while intoxicated by State Police at Livingston, December 17 at 3 a.m.
Troopers stopped Ms. McCormick on Stevens Crossing Road, Claverack because her vehicle moved from its lane unsafely. When troopers interviewed her they determined she was intoxicated by alcohol. A breath test was administered which resulted in a blood alcohol count of .10%. She was issued tickets returnable in Claverack Court at a later date and was released to a third party.
*Kacey Harrington, 24, of Hinsdale, MA, was charged with three counts of seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance outside its original container in violation of the state Public Health Law and Vehicle and Traffic Law violations by Livingston Trooper J. Reppucci, December 18.
She was stopped for speeding on the Taconic State Parkway in Gallatin. During the stop, she was allegedly found to be in possession of suboxone, oxycodone, alprazolam and marijuana. She was arraigned in Taghkanic Court and sent to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail.
*Carlos Rivera, 35, of Stuyvesant was charged with fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, felony driving while intoxicated, being an unlicensed operator and unlawful possession of marijuana by State Police at Kinderhook, December 18 at 1:50 a.m. Mr. Rivera was stopped on River Street, Kinderhook for having an inadequate exhaust. When troopers interviewed him, they detected an odor of alcoholic beverage. Mr. Rivera was unable to perform field sobriety tests. He allegedly had cocaine and marijuana. A breath test was given, resulting in .17% blood alcohol content. He was arraigned in Kinderhook Town Court and sent to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $20,000 cash bail or $40,000 bond, to return to court at a later date.
*Nicholas Price, 23, of Weston, VT, was charged with fourth degree criminal possession of marijuana, fifth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (cocaine), fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance (MDMA a/k/a Ecstasy), driving while ability impaired by drugs and speeding by Livingston Trooper J. Reppucci, December 22. Mr. Price was pulled over for speeding on the Taconic State Parkway in Taghkanic. The trooper found marijuana smoke coming from his car. Mr. Price allegedly had marijuana, cocaine and MDMA .He was arraigned in Greenport Court and sent to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.
*William Gheradi, 61, of Ashland was charged with driving while intoxicated and failure to keep right by Deputy Marcus Hickey during a traffic stop on Route 23 in Greenport, December 22 at 12:04 p.m. Mr. Gheradi was issued traffic tickets to appear in Greenport Court.
*Shaquille Sinclair, 21, of Hudson was charged with driving while intoxicated by State Police at Livingston, December 24. Mr. Sinclair was driving on Middle Road in Greenport when he reportedly went off the road and struck a tree on the north side of the highway. He was released with tickets returnable to Greenport Court.
*Nicholas R. Myrdycz, 29, of Coxsackie was charged with driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content greater than .08% and failure to keep right by Deputy Louis Bray and Sheriff’s Sergeant Michael Merante, December 29 at 3:20 p.m. Deputies investigated a property damage crash on Livingston Parkway, Greenport. They say Mr. Myrdycz left the accident scene after he struck a utility pole near Washington Boulevard, then drove to the Greenport firehouse to report the crash. He will answer the charges in the Greenport Court.
*Robert McGagg, 22, of Hudson was charged with driving while intoxicated and unlawful possession of marijuana, his passenger, Ronaldo Martel, 20, of Hudson was also charged with unlawful possession of marijuana by Livingston Trooper J. Horton, December 30. Troopers were called to a fight at a Livingston residence. While en route, they were told that some of the subjects involved in the fight had left the scene. Troopers spotted and stopped the McGagg vehicle. Both were released on appearance tickets returnable in Livingston Court. No parties involved in the fight wanted to press charges.
*Virginia Dutcher, 20 of Philmont was charged with driving while intoxicated, operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content greater than .08% and failure to keep right by Deputies Louis Bray and Joshua Oakes during a traffic stop on Columbia Street, Hudson, January 1 at 2:16 a.m. Ms. Dutcher was released with tickets to appear in Hudson City Court.
*Christopher LaGrange, 26, of Waterbury, CT, was charged with fifth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony; fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon and unlawful possession of marijuana by Trooper Nicholas Lombardi, January 28. Mr. LaGrange was stopped on State Route 66 in East Nassau for several vehicle equipment violations. He allegedly possessed marijuana, cocaine and metal knuckles. He was arraigned in Schodack Court and sent to the Rensselaer County Jail in lieu of $2,500 bail. He will reappear in Nassau Court at a later date.
*John Cooney, 51, of Mt. Laurel, NJ, was charged with aggravated driving while intoxicated and speeding by Trooper Robert Barksdale, February 24 at 9:25 p.m.
Assigned to the Taconic State Parkway, the trooper stopped a northbound vehicle for traveling at 84 mph in a 55 mph zone. The driver, Mr. Cooney was found to be intoxicated and had a blood alcohol level of .28%. He was
released on traffic tickets and is scheduled to appear in Claverack Court.
To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com.
