Police Report

Compiled by SCOTT MERZBACH

Published on August 28, 2009

Amherst Police

* A 21-year-old Rowe woman will be summoned to court on a charge of violating the town's open container bylaw following an incident on Main Street Tuesday at 12:16 a.m., police said.

* A 22-year-old Gardner man will be summoned to court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a license suspended as the result of an operating under the influence of alcohol charge following a traffic stop on Northampton Road Monday at 11:41 a.m., police said.

* A man told police he was jumped by three women while walking in the area of a College Street business Sunday at 4:34 a.m. The man said he suffered chest pain as a result of the attack. The women have been identified and charges may be brought against them, police said.

* Jessica R. Reager, 24, of Bear, Del., was arrested Aug. 22 at 2:19 a.m. on Pine Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vehicle with a lights violation and operating a motor vehicle with defective equipment causing it to not meet Registry of Motor Vehicles safety standards, police said.

* Corey A. Reimers, 22, of Gardner, was arrested Aug. 22 at 2:13 a.m. on South East Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, failure to stay within marked lanes and operating a motor vehicle with no inspection sticker, police said.

* Benjamim Blumberg, 20, of Sunset Avenue, and Gajendran Vamathevan, 20, of Tracy Circle, were both arrested Aug. 22 at 12:50 a.m. on College Street on charges of being minors in possession of alcohol and violating the town's open container bylaw after they were found inside a vehicle with an open bottle of Bacardi rum, police said.

Blumberg was also arrested on a charge of possession of a fake ID, police said.

The two men were observed ducking down in a vehicle while officers were in the area searching for suspects in possible break-ins to homes, police said.

* An Amherst man will be summoned to court on a charge of domestic assault and battery after he grabbed a woman and threw her to the floor during an argument over money at Colonial Village Aug. 21 at 2:30 p.m., police said.

* Somrathona Steven Soeng, 19, of MIll Valley Estates, was arrested Aug. 21 at 1:54 a.m. at a South Amherst home on charges of domestic assault and battery, assault and battery on a pregnant woman and malicious destruction of property over $250, police said.

Soeng was arrested after he hit a woman, who did not require medical attention, and then shot up the screen of a television set with a BB gun, police said.

* A man riding his bicycle on Main Street Aug. 20 at 3:10 p.m. crashed it through a large window at the front of Elegance Nail Spa, police said. The man, who was intoxicated, was not injured in the crash.

* Matthew Cloutier, 22, of Chicopee, was arrested Aug. 20 at 10:40 a.m. at the police station on an outstanding warrant from Eastern Hampshire District Court for violation of a municipal bylaw, police said.

* David J. Rodriguez, 27, of Holyoke, was arrested Aug. 20 at 1:36 a.m. on West Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and operating a motor vehicle with a number plate violation, police said.

* Ahmed H. Shabazz, 29, of South East Street, was arrested Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. on Main Street on an outstanding warrant from Greenfield District Court, police said.

* Police took a report Aug. 19 at 5:49 p.m. from a resident at The Boulders on East Hadley Road that a screen window was damaged to gain entry to the home and $2,000 in computer equipment was stolen.

* A Village Park woman told police Aug. 19 at 6:14 a.m. that her boyfriend, who is also the father of her child, punched her in the face, took the batteries from her cell phone and then left the home. The woman refused medical attention. Police said charges may be filed against the man.

* Zachary M. Sultan, 19, of Fitchburg, was arrested Aug. 19 at 3:17 a.m. on Main Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, failure to stay within marked lanes and failure to stop/yield, police said.

* Thomas Rodriguez, 39, of Springfield, was arrested Aug. 18 at 10:25 p.m. at the police station on a parole violation warrant, police said.

* An 80-year-old man missing from The Arbors on University Drive since noon on Aug. 18 was located at a downtown restaurant at 4:44 p.m. The man, who has a history of dementia, got upset at staff at The Arbors and took off on foot.

* A 34-year-old Amherst woman and a 40-year-old Amherst man will both be summoned to court on two counts of shoplifting more than $100 worth of merchandise after incidents July 25 and July 28 in which they stole groceries and a high-definition television converter from Big Y Supermarket and CVS Pharmacy, both on University Drive, police said.

* Between Aug. 18 and Aug. 25, police recovered three wallets, a cell phone, a set of keys and a bicycle. Police checked the well being of nine residents, provided seven courtesy escorts and one escort for a funeral, checked for speeding vehicles on Main Street and Montague Road and stopped vehicles on Amherst streets and issued one warning for failure to grant right of way, six warnings for operating without headlights, three warnings for failure to stay within marked lanes, five warnings for operating with malfunctioning plate lights, one warning for traveling the wrong way on a one-way street, one warning for operating with an illegally attached plate, two warnings for failure to stop at stop signs and two warnings for operating with obstructed license plates.

Police responded to false alarms at six residences, seven businesses, the high school and Town Hall and checked on vehicles parked at Hampshire Village, the Carriage Shops, Puffer's Pond, Atkins Farms Country Market and Puffton Village and on Railroad Street.

Hadley Police

* A vehicle parked at a Route 9 restaurant was reported broken into Sunday at 6:12 p.m. and a GPS system was stolen, police said.

* A counterfeit bill was reported passed at the flea market on Route 47 Sunday at 11:52 a.m.

* Beresford Vincent, 41, of River Drive, was arrested Aug. 22 at 11:04 a.m. at a Hadley location on a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after he reportedly held a knife to another man's throat, police said.

* Katherine L. Kielbowicz, 28, of Middle Street, was arrested Aug. 21 at 12:19 a.m. at a Hadley home on a charge of domestic assault and battery, police said.

* Officers stopped 22 vehicles, primarily on Bay Road and Route 9, Aug. 20 between 6:49 and 9:55 p.m. Two citations and 20 warnings were issued to the drivers for traffic offenses.

* Robert Russell, 34, of Burke Way, was arrested Aug. 19 at 10 p.m. on Route 9 on charges of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and operating a motor vehicle with a lights violation, police said.

* A Lawrence Plain Road resident reported Aug. 19 at noon that her daughter was driving on the street when someone shot an arrow through the window of her vehicle.

* Jesse E. Davis, 36, of Amherst Road, Sunderland, was arrested Aug. 18 at 3:38 p.m. at the police station on an outstanding warrant, police said.

* Craig N. Beaudry, 21, of Grand Oak Farm Road, was arrested Aug. 17 at 9:52 p.m. at a Hadley location on a charge of malicious damage to a motor vehicle, police said.

* Equipment was reported vandalized at the Lowe's home improvement center construction site on Route 9 Aug. 17 at 8:45 a.m. Police said there have been previous reports of vandalism and the contractor has hired a security guard, who one night removed several young people partying at the site.

UMass Police

* A 40-year-old Hadley man will be summoned to court on a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license as the result of a traffic stop on North Pleasant Street Aug. 21 at 9:06 p.m., police said.

* Yujin Choi, 36, of North Pleasant Street, Amherst, was arrested Aug. 18 at 3:03 p.m. at North Village Apartments on charges of domestic assault and battery, failure to stop for police, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, use of a motor vehicle without authority and operating a motor vehicle with no license in possession, police said.

Day-by-Day Amherst Police Calls

THURSDAY, AUG. 13

DISTURBANCES

* 12:05 p.m. - Police responded to a North Whitney Street home for a dispute over parking spaces after one woman parked her vehicle to prevent another woman from getting her vehicle out. The issue was resolved when police issued a ticket to the vehicle parked on the sidewalk.

LARCENY

* 4:24 p.m. - An Ann Whalen Apartments resident told police a neighbor may have entered his home to steal four boxes of cereal.

* 9:43 p.m. - A pocketbook was reported stolen from a customer at a downtown restaurant.

BREAK-INS

* 7:29 a.m. - The screen door to the terrace at a Meadow Street home was cut sometime over night in an attempt to gain entry, which was not successful.

FRIDAY, AUG. 14

DISTURBANCES

* 11:08 p.m. - A homeless man who was bullying another homeless man into giving him cigarettes was located and warned to stop the activity or face assault charges.

LARCENY

* 2:01 p.m. - A woman who took $14 worth of items from Big Y Supermarket was issued a trespass notice.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 1:33 p.m. - Brooke Sullivan, of Pelham, was issued a citation for failure to use care in backing after the vehicle she was diving in the parking garage struck a parked vehicle, police said.

SATURDAY, AUG. 15

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 10:48 a.m. - Two homeless men on private property between Smith Street and the West Cemetery were advised to leave the area.

DISTURBANCES

* 12:59 a.m. - Police received a report from a homeless man that another homeless man who lives at a camp in the woods behind Big Y Supermarket made threats toward the other. Both men were advised to settle their differences.

* 8:52 p.m. - A homeless man who was not allowed in to a downtown restaurant to use its restroom got inside and made a mess of it, urinating on both the floor and walls. He will be issued a trespass notice.

VANDALISM

* 12:31 p.m. - A window on the Survival Center building was found broken, but it didn't appear to be a break-in attempt.

FIGHTS

* 11:29 p.m. - Police kept the peace between several homeless men arguing outside a North Pleasant Street restaurant.

ASSAULTS

* 2:59 a.m. - A man told police he was assaulted at Puffton Village and went to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton for treatment. Police may charge a person in connection with the incident.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

* 12:39 a.m.- Police issued a verbal warning to a man at a Gray Street home who was sitting on balcony playing his guitar and signing.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 10:45 a.m. - A vehicle parked on Kellogg Avenue sustained a scratch to its fender after being struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

The other vehicle was later located and police spoke to the driver about the incident.

SUNDAY, AUG. 16

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 1:38 a.m. - Swimmers who were using a swimming pool at Puffton Village without permission fled when police got there, leaving behind several belongings that were confiscated by management at the complex.

* 6:52 p.m. - A man who exposed himself to a woman walking on East Pleasant Street was not located by police. The woman told police that the man approached her and unzipped his pants.

LARCENY

* 9:46 a.m. - A 1991 Pontiac Sunbird stolen from Winston Court was recovered at Colonial Village a 10:35 a.m. with a smashed window, broken steering column and missing radio.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 3:26 p.m. - Michelle I. Medina, 59, of Belchertown, was issued a citation for failure to use care in stopping after the vehicle she was driving at the corner of Snell and South Pleasant streets collided with a vehicle driven by Martha Elliott, 54, of Brockton, police said.

Damage to both vehicles was minor and no personal injuries were reported, police said.

TRAFFIC

* 6:07 p.m. - Six sheep walking along Meadow Street and heading toward Brandywine Apartments were reported to police. Police tried to locate the farmer who owned the sheep.

MONDAY, AUG. 17

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 12:35 a.m. - A knife was found on one youth at The Boulders who was part of group of 20 teenagers gathering for a possible fight. The people were dispersed.

* 7:16 p.m. - Several people jumping from the cliff into Puffer's Pond were warned about the dangers of their activity.

LARCENY

* 1:53 p.m. - A State Street woman told police her cell phone, valued at $350, was stolen while she was at a party.

* 4:42 p.m. - A Charles Lane resident reported a fraudulent check of $500 written on her account. The matter was referred to the woman's bank.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 10:01 a.m. - Police issued a warning to the owner of a vehicle who left a small dog inside it while parked at parking garage. The dog appeared to be suffering because none of the windows were left unrolled.

* 3:05 p.m. - Several warnings were issued to people at Puffer's Pond who were allowing their dogs to swim in the water.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 1:54 p.m. - One driver was issued a citation for failure to use care in turning following a minor two-car accident at the Carriage Shops, police said.

TUESDAY, AUG. 18

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 8:51 p.m. - A man told police a homeless man struck him in the leg with a metal pipe during an incident on Boltwood Walk. Police were unable to locate the injured man.

* 9:35 p.m. - Four college-age people having a cookout at Puffer's Pond were told to extinguish the fire and were sent on their way.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 12:24 p.m. - The animal welfare officer spoke to a person who left a dog in a hot vehicle for more than an hour while at an appointment at a Triangle Street location.

* 1:24 p.m. - Police responded to Puffer's Pond for reports of dogs swimming in the pond in an area they are banned from. Conservation Commission was notified.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 1:18 p.m. - One driver was issued a citation for failure to use care in stopping and leaving the scene of a motor vehcle accident following a minor two-car accident with no personal injuries on College Street, police said.

* 3:20 p.m. - A vehicle parked on North Pleasant Street sustained minor damage to its side when it was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

* 4:05 p.m. - Carol F. Shadoian, 68, of Still Corner Road, Leverett, was driving her vehicle on East Leverett Road when she lost control of it and went through four cement guardrails and down an embankment, where the vehicle traveled nearly 100 yards before coming to rest against a rock, police said.

Shadoian was checked at the scene by Amherst Fire Department ambulance personnel, but refused transport to the hospital, police said. She was given a courtesy escort home by Leverett police.

The vehicle sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene, police said.

TRAFFIC

* 3:33 a.m. - Police contacted the parents of two 15-year-old girls who were riding in the back seat of a vehicle stopped on South East Street that was being driven by two teenage men.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 19

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 2:36 p.m. - A West Street resident reported a scam in which a caller tried to get her Social Security number and a tax identification number.

* 5:39 p.m. - An Amherst woman told police that her doctor's office will not allow her to visit because she didn't come for several appointments eight years ago. The woman said the appointments were made by a neighbor who was playing a joke on her by setting up several appointments using her name.

DISTURBANCES

* 6:11 p.m. - Police kept the peace at a Hallock Street home after a resident began yelling at her neighbor about issues with religion, a cat and employment.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 8:42 a.m. - Police assisted an East Pleasant Street resident remove a bat that was flying inside the home.

* 3:09 p.m. - Two people at Puffer's Pond were advised to keep their dogs from swimming in the water, while two other dog owners were told to have their dogs leashed when on the beach.

THURSDAY, AUG. 20

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 4:10 p.m. - A man and woman engaged in inappropriate behavior on private property in the woods off Smith Street were sent on their way after being issued a warning by police.

* 9:06 p.m. - A Tamarack Drive resident called police to report a person knocking on her doors and windows for the second consecutive night. This time police determined the knocking was being done by the woman's boyfriend, who was playing a prank on her after he learned about the previous incident.

DISTURBANCES

* 1:44 p.m. - A homeless man yelling at another man in front of the Lord Jeffery Inn was sent on his way.

LARCENY

* 5:02 p.m. - Towels and knick-knack items were reported stolen from an Ann Whalen Apartments home.

VANDALISM

* 12:44 p.m. - A downtown business owner marking the sidewalk on North Pleasant Street with chalk was advised to stop the activity.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 1:30 p.m. - Two loose goats on Market Hill Road were returned to the field they were grazing in.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 10:33 a.m. - A hit-and-run accident was reported on a vehicle parked on Main Street near Sweetser Park, police said.

Police determined that the woman driving the offending vehicle had left a note and would not be cited for leaving the scene, police said.

* 7:03 p.m. - A woman swimming at Puffer's Pond told police she returned to car parked on State Street and found it had been scratched by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

* 10:07 p.m. - A vehicle parked on Main Street sustained more than $1,000 in damage after it was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle, police said.

FRIDAY, AUG. 21

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 1:13 a.m. - Three drunken men loitering behind the Carriage Shops were sent on their way. Police were unable to locate any graffiti or damage the men might have caused.

DISTURBANCES

* 5:46 p.m. - A woman who wrote on the bathroom walls at a downtown restaurant began causing a disturbance when she was asked to leave. Police calmed the woman down and sent her on her way.

VANDALISM

* 8:02 a.m. - A fire hydrant and mailbox on Woodlot Road had bright orange spray-paint placed on them overnight, while vandals also wrote the phrase "I Love the World" on the road. Police are investigating.

BREAK-INS

* 8:47 a.m. - Someone again attempted to enter the WMECO substation on Sunderland Road, several days after copper wire was discovered missing from the site.

* 8:33 p.m. - The back door to a Jeffery Amherst Apartments home was broken, but it was unclear if the residence was entered.

FIGHTS

* 1:28 a.m. - One man suffered small facial wounds following a fight involving three men near the corner of East Pleasant and Pray streets. Police are investigating the incident.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

* 1:59 a.m. - Police issued a verbal warning to more than a dozen people making loud noise while swimming in a pool at an Indian Pipe Lane home.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 11:08 a.m. - A dog inside an overheated vehicle parked on Spring Street was removed by police. The woman who owns the dog was notified about the state law regarding cruelty to animals and was issued a ticket for a parking meter violation.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 8:50 p.m. - Police said they issued a citation to the driver of a PVTA bus for failing to stop at a stop sign on University Drive after the bus collided with another vehicle, causing minor damage.

SATURDAY, AUG. 22

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 1:13 a.m. - A man placing orange cones across East Pleasant Street near the intersection with Pray Street was advised to stop the activity and put the cones back where he found them.

* 9:11 a.m. - Police were notified that someone may have broken a window screen and entered Crocker Farm School. A woman found inside the building was a teacher who told police the screen had been damage for a long time.

DISTURBANCES

* 10:25 a.m. - An ex-husband and wife involved in a verbal altercation over a custody issue at Village Park were calmed down and the woman left with her children.

* 3:09 p.m. - Police took a report of a man standing in front of a Main Street business holding a rubber snake and bothering people by waving it at them. He was advised to stop blocking the entrance to the store and to play with his rubber snake elsewhere.

LARCENY

* 2:31 p.m. - A laptop was stolen from a South East Street home that was entered sometime since Aug. 9. Police are investigating.

BREAK-INS

* 12:09 a.m. - Items were knocked over inside a North Whitney Street home and mail was tossed all over the place. Police are investigating the possible break-in.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

* 7:29 p.m. - Police issued a verbal warning to Southpoint Apartments residents who were drinking alcohol, being loud and urinating in the parking lot while having a party.

SUNDAY, AUG. 23

LARCENY

* 2:01 p.m. - A mountain bike modified with a small motor was reported stolen from The Boulders sometime overnight. The bike had been chained to a tree.

* 5:03 p.m. - A West Street woman reported her debit card was used without her permission to obtain a Western Union money order.

VANDALISM

* 7:52 p.m. - The rear window on a vehicle parked at Echo Village Apartments was smashed by a child. One of several children who had been throwing rocks at trees was determined to be responsible after a bad throw.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 11:15 a.m. - A Village Park resident reported a neighbor's cat had again deposited dead animals in front of her apartment.

* 5:34 p.m. - A raccoon got into a dog house on Blue Hills Road. The residents contacted police to resolve the issue.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 7:19 p.m. - A minor hit-and-run accident with no personal injuries took place in the Big Y Supermarket parking lot, police said.

The offending vehicle was later located, police said.

MONDAY, AUG. 24

DISTURBANCES

* 8:13 a.m. - Police determined loud noise being made by a boy at Village Park was the result of his autistic condition.

* 7:53 p.m. - A downtown resident and salesman who got into an argument were both calmed down by police. The salesman was sent on his way after being advised his services were no longer wanted.

* 9:23 p.m. - Police kept the peace between a father and his two grown daughters at an Amherst home after they became upset at him over the new woman he is dating.

LARCENY

* 10:40 a.m. - A wallet was reported stolen from a person at the Center for Extended Care.

* 1:19 p.m. - A person came to the police station to report $175 in unauthorized charges placed on the debit card.

BREAK-INS

* 11:38 a.m. - A break-in was reported at The Boulders.