Police Report

Compiled by SCOTT MERZBACH

Published on November 13, 2009

Amherst police

* A break-in to a home in Cushman Monday afternoon led to the arrest of an Amherst teenager and charges being brought against the girl's mother.

Police responded to a Bridge Street home at 4:45 p.m. for a report of a break-in in progress. When police got there, they found a girl had gotten inside the residence by forcing open a window.

The 14-year-old Amherst girl was arrested on a charge of breaking and entering during the daytime to commit a felony, police said.

The girl's mother, a 53-year-old Amherst woman, will be summoned to court on a charge of breaking and entering during the daytime to commit a felony and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a child, police said.

Police determined that the woman, who was in the area as the break-in took place, had encouraged her daughter and another child to enter the home to retrieve items her family had lent the homeowner but had not yet gotten back.

* A man was arrested for the second time this fall on the Hampshire College campus after he was found inside a computer terminal room on the campus early Sunday morning.

Nicholas de Ghetaldi, 21, of Watsonville, Calif., was arrested at 1:45 a.m. on charges of breaking and entering during the nighttime to commit a felony, possession of a class B substance, and resisting arrest, Amherst police said. De Ghetaldi had previously been arrested in early September by Hampshire College security on charges of trespassing, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, Amherst police said.

* A 55-year-old Amherst woman will be summoned to court on a charge of leaving the scene of a property damage accident after the vehicle she was driving hit a parked vehicle in the CVS Pharmacy parking lot on North Prospect Street Nov. 7 at 5:17 p.m., police said.

* Christina Papanicolaou, 21, of Tewksbury, was arrested Nov. 7 at 1:07 a.m. on East Pleasant Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and failure to stay within marked lanes, police said.

* Michelle L. Sepe, 21, of Somers, Conn., was arrested Nov. 6 at 1:03 a.m. on North Pleasant Street on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and leaving the scene of a property damage accident after the vehicle she was driving backed into a parked vehicle near the downtown bars, causing minor damage, police said.

* Tracey J. Richter-Loy, 56, who provided an address as the streets of Massachusetts, was arrested Nov. 5 at 7:24 p.m. on North Pleasant Street on an outstanding warrant after she was seen causing a disturbance at a downtown store, police said.

* Michael J. Lusardo, 22, of Main Street, was arrested Nov. 5 at 1:19 a.m. on Dickinson Street on charges of unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating a motor vehicle with a defective license plate light, police said.

* William Elsasser, 61, of Kellogg Avenue, was arrested Nov. 4 at 12:55 p.m. at the intersection of North Pleasant and Main streets on a charge of disorderly conduct after he was found crawling in the middle of the street, police said. The arrest was made after Elsasser was previously warned to get out of the roadway and to stop interfering with traffic, police said.

* A teenage boy with a bloody and possibly broken nose was found in the area of Kellogg Avenue Nov. 3 at 3:12 p.m. after police took a report of a fight. The boy told police he had just injured himself after falling down, though several people gathered nearby were sent on their way. At 3:54 p.m., police were notified that the combatants had moved to the West Cemetery, though all was quiet when officers got there.

* A 21-year-old Boxford man will be summoned to court on a charge of cultivating a class D substance, marijuana, after police obtained a search warrant to his home and observed a small grow, police said.

The search warrant was obtained following a report of a break-in at the home Sept. 26 at 8 p.m., police said.

* Between Nov. 3 and Nov. 10, police recovered $90 in cash, a credit card, a canister, a briefcase and a debit card and took a report of a lost passport.

* Police checked for speeding vehicles on High Street, East Pleasant Street, Belchertown Road, Pine Street, North Pleasant Street, Triangle Street, Mill Lane, Sunderland road and North East Street, checked the well being of five residents, assisted one person locked out from a home, provided five courtesy escorts and stopped vehicles on Amherst streets and issued two warnings for crosswalk violations, three warnings for license plate light violations, three warnings for failure to stop at stop signs, one warning for a registration sticker violation, seven warnings for operating without headlights, one warning for operating without taillights and three warnings for failure to stay within marked lanes.

Police responded to false alarms at three residences, four businesses and Town Hall and checked on vehicles parked at Mill Hollow Apartments, Mill River Apartments, the Boltwood parking lot, Atkins Farms Country Market and Cowls Building Supply and on Van Meter Drive, Grantwood Drive, Belchertown Road, Main Street, North Prospect Street, Dickinson Street, Spencer Drive, Taylor Street and Whippletree Lane.

Hadley police

* Richard M. Cuzzone, 58, of Northampton, was arrested Nov. 3 at 9:48 a.m. on Mill Valley Road on charges of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license and operating a motor vehicle with no inspection sticker, police said.

* Julie A. Stiver, 23, of Fearing Street, Amherst, was arrested Nov. 1 at 4:04 p.m. at the Hampshire Mall on a charge of shoplifting, police said.

* Nicholas R. Vogt, 27, of North Main Street, South Deerfield, was arrested Oct. 31 at 1:18 p.m. on Route 9 on a charge of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, subsequent offense, police said.

* Three mailboxes on South Maple Street were reported smashed Oct. 31 at 8:20 a.m.

* More than 300 college-age people were dispersed from a home at the corner of Stockbridge Street and Knightly Road Oct. 31 at 1:40 a.m. Police determined the party was organized by members of a UMass fraternity.

* Jose Vazquez, 27, of Northampton, was arrested Oct. 30 at 5:31 p.m. at Cinemark Theatres at Hampshire Mall on a charge of violating an abuse prevention order, police said.

UMass Police

* Corey H. Eason, 20, of Mansfield, was arrested Nov. 4 at 10:40 p.m. at Washington dormitory on charges of breaking and entering a building during the nighttime to commit a felony, larceny over $250, larceny under $250 and receiving stolen property under $250, police said. Eason was also arrested on an outstanding warrant, police said.

Day-by-Day Amherst Police Calls

TUESDAY, NOV. 3

DISTURBANCES

* 9:38 a.m. - A man who caused a disturbance at a downtown coffee shop calmed down and agreed to leave the restaurant.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 8:22 a.m. - The animal welfare officer received a complaint about a loose dog on Hawthorn Road that has been using neighboring lawns as a bathroom.

TRAFFIC

* 2:39 a.m. - A man crawling in and out of traffic on Main Street was issued a warning to stay on the sidewalk.

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 4

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 3:04 p.m. - Police are investigating an incident in which a woman said her downtown apartment was renovated by the landlord, but several items had been stolen when she returned and many of her belongings were left in a disarray.

LARCENY

* 11:54 a.m. - A license plate was reported stolen from a vehicle parked on Pray Street.

* 11:13 p.m. - An iPod and a cell phone were stolen from a woman while she was at a Lincoln Avenue home for a Halloween party.

BREAK-INS

* 2:35 p.m. - Various household items and electronic equipment were reported stolen from a Puffton Village home. Police said there were no signs of forced entry.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 5:55 p.m. - Madonna L. Stanley, 55, of Bay Road, Hadley, was issued a citation for failure to use care in stopping after the vehicle she was driving at the corner of South Pleasant Street and Northampton Road collided with a vehicle driven by Celia O. Hilson, 46, of Riverglade Drive, police said.

Stanley's vehicle was towed, but no personal injuries were reported, police said.

TRAFFIC

* 11:52 a.m. - Police got a report of a man crawling in the middle of North Pleasant Street near the downtown bars.

THURSDAY, NOV. 5

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 2:11 p.m. - Police said they received a report that a man threatened to poison bushes at his neighbor's property in Amherst.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 10:32 p.m. - A homeless man whose cane was broken came to the police station for assistance. Officers provided him a mop handle to replace his cane.

DISTURBANCES

* 7:10 p.m. - A woman who went out of control at the CVS Pharmacy on North Pleasant Street and tossed items from a shelf into the aisle was issued a trespass notice by store management.

LARCENY

* 12:24 a.m. - A woman living at The Boulders told police her boyfriend stole her cell phone.

* 6:57 p.m. - A wallet that was stolen from a customer at a downtown store was later recovered by two friends of its owner.

BREAK-INS

* 1:32 p.m. - Someone entered a Western Massachusetts Electric Co. building on Sunderland Road, but nothing appeared to be stolen.

FRIDAY, NOV. 6

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 4:31 a.m. - A woman who was sleeping in her vehicle at Townehouse Apartments told police she awoke to find herself in a North Amherst tow yard. Police determined her vehicle had been parked illegally and was towed.

DISTURBANCES

* 12:10 p.m. - A man delivering phone books on East Pleasant Street said he was verbally assaulted by a man who began snapping photographs of him, Police are looking into the incident.

SATURDAY, NOV. 7

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 4:07 a.m. - A drunken woman banging on the door to a Berkshire Terrace home was given a courtesy escort back to her UMass dormitory.

DISTURBANCES

* 2:22 p.m. - A homeless man was reported swinging a sharp metal object on North Pleasant Street near Cowles Lane. Police found the man and determined he was holding a metal pry bar used to clean storm drains. He was advised to use more care while handling the pry bar because he was making people nervous.

* 5:42 p.m. - Police spoke to a man loitering on Main Street who was yelling at shoppers. He calmed down and was sent on his way.

LARCENY

* 9:57 a.m. - A person stole a tag sale sign from a Belchertown Road location.

* 11:28 a.m. - A moped was reported stolen from Southpoint Apartments.

ANIMAL COMPLAINTS

* 9:26 a.m. - A loose dog named Ivy was found on Pulpit Hill Road. The animal welfare officer was notified.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 3:21 p.m. - Robert K. North, 19, of Belchertown, was issued a citation for failure to use care in stopping after the vehicle he was driving on Northampton Road collided with a vehicle driven by Thomas F. Houston, 65, of West Pelham Road, Shutesbury, police said,

North suffered a cut to his head and was treated at the scene by Amherst Fire Department ambulance personnel, police said.

North's vehicle was towed, from the scene, police said.

SUNDAY, NOV. 8

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

* 2:47 a.m. - College students who pretended to hold a rope across College Street successfully stopped a police cruiser. Police issued the students a warning about their behavior.

* 3:33 a.m. - Two men scratched on the windows and screens of a Gray Street home before leaving the area. Police are investigating the incident.

* 4:03 a.m. - A Tan Brook Condominiums woman told police a man came her into her home and snapped a picture of her while she was sleeping.

* 4:37 p.m. - Pallets and garbage were found on fire at a Northampton Road location. Firefighters were called to extinguish the fire, which the homeowner told police she was using as a cookout. In addition, a possum that the woman was keeping as a pet in a cage near the fire was released.

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 12:18 p.m. - Phone calls in which a person was whispering and making heavy breathing sounds were reported by management at a downtown business.

DISTURBANCES

* 5:38 p.m. - A man who urinated on a vehicle parked in the parking garage was issued a warning about his activities and sent on his way.

* 7:13 p.m. - Police responded to a downtown restaurant where a homeless man had fallen asleep in a booth and refused to leave when he was awoken. Restaurant management was advised of its options for getting a trespass order.

ASSAULTS

* 1:43 a.m. - A man reported he was punched in the face while at Puffton Village and suffered a possible broken nose. Police have not been able to identify any suspects in the assault.

MONDAY, NOV. 9

CITIZEN ASSISTANCE

* 3:05 p.m. - A teenage boy who attempted to steal items from a downtown store was issued a trespass notice by management.

DISTURBANCES

* 12:19 a.m. - Police calmed down a man who was yelling at customers and staff at a downtown bar after his bicycle was damaged.

LARCENY

* 8:41 p.m. - Someone drove off without paying for $25 in gas at the Hess gas station.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS

* 3:17 p.m. - One vehicle was towed following a two-car accident with no personal injuries on East Pleasant Street, police said.

* 6:33 p.m. - Police said they took a report that a man suffered neck pain, and required treatment at a hospital in Athol, following a minor two-car accident at the corner of Main and Triangle streets.