Category Archives: Blotter

Police/Fire/Rescue/Courts Blotter

Berkshire Farm clinician charged with sex abuse

by DIANE VALDEN

CANAAN—State Police from the Livingston barracks arrested a staff member at Berkshire Farm Center for sexual abuse.

Kelli R. Wagers, 39, of Philmont was charged with two counts of second degree criminal sex act, a class E felony; endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor; and two counts of third degree sexual abuse, a class B misdemeanor, June 21.

State Police investigators were alerted June 17 by Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth staff of possible sexual abuse by an employee. Read more…

Hudson Police arrest man on multiple charges after ‘shots fired’

by DIANE VALDEN

HUDSON—City Police arrested Kevron Lee, 26, of Hudson on numerous felony and misdemeanor gun and drug charges, Tuesday, June 18.

Mr. Lee was charged with: first degree reckless endangerment, a class D felony; third degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, class A felony; second degree criminal possession of a weapon, class C felony; fourth degree criminal mischief, class A misdemeanor; seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, class A misdemeanor and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

Hudson Police received a call from Columbia County 911 reporting “shots fired” on the 500 block of State Street, June 18 just before noon. Read more…

Car fire claims life of farm worker and his dog

by DIANE VALDEN

COPAKE FALLS—A man and his little dog died in a vehicle fire June 14 at about 12:04 a.m.

Following a June 15 autopsy by Dr. Jeffrey Hubbard at Ellis Hospital, the Sheriff’s Office identified the fire victims as Rudy Martinez, 32, of 543 North Mountain Road, and his small dog, possibly a Chihuahua.

The cause of death was determined to be “inhalation of fire gases.” Read more…

Two girls charged in arson fire in Kinderhook shed

by DIANE VALDEN

KINDERHOOK—Two teenage girls have been charged in connection with a suspicious shed fire at the Kinderhoff Group Home, 3433 Route 203, June 10 at 10:52 a.m.

Columbia County 911 dispatched Sheriff’s deputies along with Valatie and Niverville firefighters for a report of heavy black smoke coming from a shed-type structure. The fire was knocked down quickly by responding agencies before it could cause significant damage to items inside.

Deputies and investigators interviewed two females: a 17-year-old and a 15-year-old. It is alleged that they broke into the locked structure without consent of the property owner, and used a lighter to set fire to materials inside a crawl space. Read more…

Rhonda and reptile reunited, but gator probe goes on

by DIANE VALDEN

NEW LEBANON—Kobe, the traveling alligator, has returned home.

The six-foot-long, 10-year-old reptile was stolen or escaped his enclosure once again, this time in the early evening hours of May 25.

Sheriff David P. Bartlett said in a press release that members of his office were investigating a reported burglary at Rhonda’s Reptiles on Cemetery Road. Read more…