Snowmobiler Charged with DWI as Sled Sinks in Lake

via MattarMedia (AP) EDINBURG -- Walking away after his snowmobile broke through the ice on an upstate New York lake didn't keep a 40-year-old man from being charged with driving while intoxicated.

State police say Saratoga County emergency dispatchers received a 911 call early Sunday morning regarding a snowmobile having gone through the ice on Sacandaga Lake under the Batchellerville Bridge.

Troopers, state forest rangers and local police and fire departments responded to the scene, where they found a the snowmobile 30 feet under the ice. Emergency crews were able to retrieve the sled and it was learned the snowmobile was registered to Jeffrey Shiely of Schenectady.

After a brief search, he was located on a nearby road and charged with DWI and other violations.

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Woman thrown from SUV following rollover crash

Via MattarMedia LaFayette (WSYR-TV) – State Police say a Syracuse University student was seriously injured Tuesday morning when she rolled her SUV over and was ejected from the vehicle.

The driver, 21-year-old Rachel Pigott from Utah, got caught up in the snow along the side of the road, lost control of her SUV and rolled over several times.

The crash happened around 8:45am on Lafayette Road, near Reidy Hill Road, in the Town of LaFayette.

Investigators say Pigott was driving too fast for the conditions. She was listed in serious condition at University Hospital.

State Police say she was very lucky since she did not hit her head on the pavement when she was thrown from the SUV.

Police did not immediately issue any tickets.

WNY man dies in car crash as police pull him over

Via MattarMedia BUFFALO - A 57-year-old man died when he crashed into a utility pole as police tried to pull him over in Buffalo.

Buffalo Police say officers started following the car driven by Richard Bedell of North Tonawanda around 2:15 a.m. Monday. After several blocks, the car smashed into a utility pole.

Police spokesman Michael DeGeorge said it wasn't a chase.

Weather A Factor In Rollover Accident

 

Via MattarMedia - Erie County Sheriff Deputies are investigating a rollover accident that happened Monday in Alden.

The accident happened on Walden Avenue.

Deputies say the 61-year-old driver, Donald Daniel of Buffalo, was taken to ECMC with head and neck injuries. He is in stable condition.

Investigators believe weather conditions may have played a role in the accident.

New state law changes rules for teen drivers

Via MattarMedia SYRACUSE, N.Y. - There's a reason they call it "sweet 16." As you step closer to adulthood, part of that independence means getting behind the wheel, but it's about to get much harder for teens to cruise off once they blow out those birthday candles.


New York is putting a brake on that urge with a new law that kicks in on Monday. There's now a six month waiting period to take a road test if you're applying for a learner's permit. Teens must also log 50 hours of supervised driving.

"The majority of fatalities in teen crashes are those other than the teens so this is not just geared toward teen driver safety. It will be a benefit to all drivers and roadway users as a whole,” said Diana Dibble, AAA Public Affairs Manager.

New York already has a graduated driver's license system in place, which includes a mandatory defensive driving course, but many felt it could be better.

"Maybe with some longer driving sessions, with family and things of that nature and driving schools, they will see how dangerous it can be if they're trying to text and things of that nature where if a person gets their license right away, they may still be fairly uninformed,” said Jeffrey Baird, Able II Driving President.

In addition to requiring more experience, this new law is specifically looking to eliminate that kind of distracted driving. All electronics are banned and teens can now have only one non-family member with them in the car. Though this last point may be the most dreaded, this group of young drivers admit it may be necessary.

"I'll probably be left out in the cold because I've been bumming rides off my friends for a while and I'm sure they'll be happy to get rid of me,” said Paul O'Donnell, learner's permit driver.

"When you get a group of three or four teenagers in a car at a time, there's a lot of conversation and gossip going on I guess and it can be distracting definitely,” said Erin Callahan, learner's permit driver.

Other states that have implemented similar laws have seen a reduction in fatal crashes in 38%.

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One hurt in rollover crash

Via MattarMedia MANLIUS, N.Y. - Crews are on the scene of a serious accident in Manlius. It happened at about 7:30 Thursday morning at the intersection of Route 92 and Oran Delphi road.

We're told one person involved in the accident suffered serious injuries and was hospitalized.

Train hits disabled Cadillac on tracks

Via MattarMedia - A driver nearly missed being struck by a freight train in Chautauqua County.

State Police say James Spiller changed lanes and became stuck on the tracks in the town of Pomfret Tuesday night. Police say when he got out of the car and called 911, a CSX train came through and pushed his Cadillac more than a mile down the tracks.

Troopers ticketed Spiller for unsafe lane moving.

WNY man makes wrong turn onto tracks, car hit by train

Via MattarMedia POMFRET - State police say a western New York man has escaped injury after mistakenly driving onto railroad tracks where his car was struck by a freight train and pushed more than a mile.

Troopers say 38-year-old James Spiller of Dunkirk was crossing the tracks in the Chautauqua County town of Pomfret around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when he became confused and turned onto the rails.

The car became lodged and Spiller called 911 to report his predicament.

Troopers say soon afterward, a CSX freight train traveling at 60 mph struck Spiller's Cadillac and pushed it more than a mile down the tracks before stopping.

Police ticketed Spiller for moving from a lane unsafely and obstructing a railroad crossing.

Car Crash Leads to Unusual Arrest

Via MattarMedia - A car crash on Monday on Rochester's north side has resulted in an unusual arrest.

Two days prior, 45-year-old Luevirgia Jones-Wright allegedly lied to police, and told them that her car, that she just bought, had been stolen.

Jones-Wright said she was in Greece when a man knocked her to the ground, kicked her in the stomach, and drove off with her new purchase, a 2002 Cadillac Deville. According to the Greece Police Department, officers activated the GPS system, and reported it stolen.

On Monday, the car was located in Rochester, and the suspects in the car fled when police tried to pull the car over. That led to a crash on Joseph Avenue.

After investigating, police found out that the suspects had permission to drive the car from Jones-Wright's husband, and the car was never in fact stolen. Police said Jones-Wright later admitted that the robbery never happened.

Jones-Wright is charged with falsely reporting an incident. She's supposed to appear in court in Greece on February 24th.

Driver of Stolen Car Causes Four-Vehicle Crash

Via MattarMedia - Rochester police responded to a call of a stolen vehicle in the city Monday afternoon. That call turned into a four-vehicle crash.

Police said they responded to a call from a man who said he was watching his stolen car on a GPS system.

Police said the vehicle traveled down North Clinton Avenue and onto Joseph Avenue, where it caused a crash between an RTS bus, a UPS truck and another car.

Police said the driver and passenger of the alleged stolen car fled after the accident, but police caught and arrested them.

Police said no one in any of the vehicles was injured.

Authorities also said they are working with the Greece Police Department because they believe the vehicle is part of another crime that occurred there.

Government Reports Toyota Fatal Accident Complaints Rise

Via MattarMedia - Federal agencies are seeing a sudden spike in the number of fatal accident complaints linked to Toyota vehicles.

The Detroit News cites the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in reporting the total number of alleged deaths since the year 2000 related to claims of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles has reached 34. The increase has occurred since the automaker began recalling millions of vehicles.

A congressional committee investigating the Toyota recalls says the 34 alleged deaths are more than all other manufacturers combined when it comes to accidents involving unintended acceleration.

Toyota recalled 5.4 million vehicles in the U.S. because gas pedals could become trapped by improperly installed floormats. Another 2.3 million vehicles have been recalled for potentially balky pedal assemblies. Toyota has also recalled 437,000 Prius vehicles and other hybrid models due to braking concerns.

Toyota says it will review the new reports.

"We take all customer reports seriously and will, of course, look into new claims," said Toyota spokesperson Martha Voss.

Patrol car involved in overnight crash

Via MattarMedia - Emergency crews rushed to the scene of an overnight accident, involving a police patrol car.

The accident happened at about 2 a.m. Friday, on Kensington Avenue near Deerfield.

A patrol car slammed into a utility pole.

There is no word on if the officer driving the car was hurt.

Teen Charged with DWI in Henrietta Crash

Via MattarMedia - Monroe County Sheriff's deputies charged a Rush teen with drunk driving after crashing into a utility pole early Thursday morning.

Deputies said Amanda Edd, 18, drifted off of West Henrietta Road just before 3 a.m. The vehicle went into and out of a drainage culvert and went airborne, striking a tree and utility pole.

The fire department had to cut Edd out of her vehicle.

She was taken to Strong Hospital with what the hospital describes as non-life-threatening injuries.

Some Towns Won't Cover Property Damage By Snowplows

Via MattarMedia - In the winter season we're thankful when a snowplow comes through and clears our street. But what happens if the plow hits and damages our property? Well, some towns won't cover the costs.

Ruby Skroback lives in the Town of Allegany and says she has parked her vehicles along the road in front of her house for 60 years. But last month her car was hit by a town snowplow. "He got my tail light, and the back panel, and my door," Skroback said.

A week after the incident, she and her daughter received a letter saying the town wouldn't cover the cost. "I pay the $500 deductible out of my own pocket. I don't have money for that," Skroback said. "What bothers me is {the town's} insurance won't take care of it... this will raise my insurance."

Allegany Town Supervisor Pat Eaton says the current insurance policies show the town isn't liable. And he says there have only been two snowplow related accidents in the area in 25 years. "The law is and the company's policy is when you're plowing during snow removal it's in essence a snow emergency. And whatever accidents occur, the town is not liable," Eaton said. "We're sympathetic towards these people, we really are but we don't want to start gifting taxpayers' money. When the insurance company says 'no we're not gonna pay' and the law says 'you don't have to pay' and when towns start paying, you're in a gray area now because you're gifting taxpayers' money."

In several larger cities including Buffalo, the policies are different. Snowplow accidents are treated like any other accident. If an investigation shows the city snowplow driver was at fault, then the city's insurance covers damages.

Woman charged under Leandra's Law

Via MattarMedia BROOME COUNTY, N.Y. - A driver stopped for a seat belt violation ends up charged under the new Leandra's Law.

Sheriff's deputies say they pulled Jennifer Kriebel, of Binghamton, over in Union for not wearing a seat belt. They then say they realized she was driving under the influence with a toddler in the vehicle.

Kriebel is facing a number of charges, including felony DWI and endangering the welfare of a child. She was issued a ticket to reappear in court.

The child was released to a family friend.

Tractor-trailer rollover blocks ambulance garage

Via MattarMedia Camillus (WSYR-TV) - A tractor-trailer rollover is blocking the driveway of the WAVES ambulance garage in the Town of Camillus on Warners Road at Bennett Road. A payloader had to dig an alternate path out of the garage for the ambulance company.

The tractor-trailer is lying on its side against a utility pole that appears to be leaning.

It is unclear if anyone was injured in the accident.

Woman Pinned Between Cars Expected To Recover

MattarMedia (BATAVIA NY) A bizarre car crash in Batavia early Tuesday morning left a young woman with two broken legs and another young woman with a neck injury.

That's according to police in Batavia, who said that the crash happened on Main Street in front of the YMCA around 12:15 a.m. Tuesday.

A car driven by 19-year-old Pearl Jefferson of Rochester became disabled. Jefferson called a friend, 19-year-old Megan McClurg of Perry, for help. Both are students at Genesee Community College.

Jefferson was at the wheel and McClurg was pushing the disabled car when a minivan struck the car. McClurg was pinned between the cars for about half a block. The minivan was driven by 21-year-old Brandon Gendron of Oakfield, who was not injured.

On Tuesday, McClurg was listed in satisfactory condition at Strong Hospital. Police said she was conscious and alert. Jefferson suffered a neck injury and facial fractures. She has since been released.

Police said that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

source: WROC-TV

DWI sweep results due out today

Via MattarMedia ALBANY COUNTY - If you were out this past weekend, you probably saw the extra officers on the road.

It was the latest drunk driving sweep through Albany County -- this one timed to coincide with the Super Bowl.

The weekend blanket patrols ended early this morning.

We'll have the numbers on those arrested later today.

Cocaine fuels crash at Chippewa bar

Via MattarMedia - A driver has been arrested after crashing into a downtown Buffalo bar.

A gray Ford Taurus smashed into 67 West on West Chippewa just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday night.

The crash shattered the front door window and knocked down a barricade.

Buffalo Police found the suspect, 21-year-old William Mobley to be in possession of crack cocaine.

Two employees at the bar were injured and Mobley was taken to ECMC with non-life threatening injuries.

Webster Police Cruiser Hit; Driver Charged With DWI

Via MattarMedia - Webster Police charged a man with driving drunk after he hit a parked police cruiser late Thursday night.

It happened on Empire Boulevard around 11:30 p.m.

Police said an officer saw a man walking eastbound on Empire Boulevard too close to the shoulder of the road. When the officer got out of his car to approach the man, a car headed westbound on Empire crashed into the officer's vehicle.

"Our patrol car did have the emergency lights on and unfortunately with people who are drinking and driving they are a danger to everyone on the road," said Webster Police Sergeant Carl Adriaansen.

The officer and the man walking down the road were not hurt.

A female passenger in the other driver's suffered minor injuries and was taken to Strong Hospital for treatment.

Facebook info leads to arrest of wanted Lockport man

Via MattarMedia LOCKPORT — The last entry on Christopher K. Crego's Facebook page already has been removed.

It was a thank-you note from the City of Lockport Police Department.

"It was due to your diligence in keeping us informed that now you are under arrest," Capt. Richard Podgers, chief of detectives, typed onto the page. He said he also is considering nominating Crego for "America's Dumbest Criminal."

Crego, 39, formerly of Sunset Drive, posted online social networking pages that picture guns, information about his criminal cases and boasts that he has served time.

He even posted a local newspaper article that called him one of this area's "10 Most Wanted."

There was so much information, Podgers said Thursday, that Crego may just as well have drawn a roadmap for investigators. As a result, he is in police custody in Terre Haute, Ind., and will be extradited by U.S. marshals back to Western New York.

Crego will be sentenced on charges that he assaulted a Lockport pizzeria owner on Nov. 29, 2008, outside a West Avenue bar.

He also faces charges of driving while intoxicated, improper lane use, failure to keep right and unlawful possession of marijuana leveled last Aug. 8.

And five counts of cruelty to animals, all misdemeanors, lodged by Buffalo police, who accused him of shooting at four sparrows and a sea gull with a large BB gun last July, killing two of the sparrows.

When Crego failed to show up in court in Buffalo and Lockport last October, warrants were issued.

Recently, officers had been hearing about his Facebook and MySpace accounts. When they checked Crego's pages on those sites, police found everything they needed, Podgers said.

"It was actually perfect," he said. "He gave us his address, where he worked, he actually filled out everything. I couldn't have done better [investigating]."

On his MySpace page, Crego writes that he majored in "Buss. Mgmt." at Niagara County Community College and minored in "Cuttin Class"; he writes he graduated from Lockport High School in 1988, majoring in "art" and minoring in "lunch."

When U.S. marshals from Buffalo went to Indiana and arrested him Wednesday, Crego was still driving his car with his New York State license plates.

Online, he told social networking friends he was working at a place called Body Art Ink Tattoo Piercing Emporium.

"He even listed their address for us," Podgers said, "so we didn't have to search [very hard]. And he gave us his hours, so we were able to know when he would come to work, look for his car, come into work and arrest him."

"It's criminals like him," the police captain said, "who make our job easier."

Toyota Recall: Customers Voice Concerns about Insurance Coverage

Via MattarMedia - Toyota drivers all across the Capital Region are questioning their vehicle's safety, and whether insurance coverage will stand, if they drive the car while waiting for it to be repaired. Toyota service shops are busy repairing as many of the recalled Toyota's as they can. John Joyce of Clifton Park said he just discovered on Wednesday that his 2010 Camry is among the millions that have been recalled. He's scheduled for repairs next week. Joyce said, "I just didn't think that I'd be impacted because the car ran so well, but like I said, I checked it out today and it is one of the ones that has to be repaired."

Car insurance agents say your policy should have you covered, should something happen while waiting for that repair appointment. Joshua Dewez of Canoe Associates, an insurance company in Clifton Park says, "Insurance will cover you in case of an accident that you caused. Now that being said if its due to a faulty pedal that sticks and it's found that the manufacturers problem caused the accident, then there could be recourse." Dewez says insurance will fight it out with Toyota, in the meantime, he says, don't delay getting that pedal repaired.

Man launches crusade against distracted drivers

Via MattarMedia QUEENSBURY - Calling distracted driving the greatest threat facing our nation, a Queensbury man has taken up the battle - and with good reason. He says his family was destroyed by drunken drivers.

Larry Waimon's story is like no other. Three different times, three drunken drivers hurt him and killed the people he loved.

Now, he's taking on distracted drivers. We've all seen it - and most of us have done it - talking or texting while driving or perhaps even eating lunch while at the wheel.

"It concerns me. It should concern everybody that shares the road with these menaces. They're the bane of society right now,” Waimon said.

Waimon knows a menace when he sees one. The Queensbury man was himself struck and disabled by a drunken driver. His grandmother was killed by a drunken driver. His father was killed by a drunken driver. Three separate incidents.

Waimon made it his life's work to reduce drunken driving. Now he's begun a new crusade.

"It's like the finger in the dyke syndrome. You plug one hole and 10 others spring a leak. Just getting a foothold on drunk driving after a century and now this comes on the horizon, which is more important because it involves our nation's youth,” he said.

Drawing on his experience as a cop and as an advocate for tougher DWI laws, Waimon's taking his message to lawmakers. He’s asking for stiffer penalties and more enforcement of distracted driving laws. He says if the fines are high enough, most people will stop.

“The only hammer we have to hold over them is money. If the punitive measures are such that they can't pay their phone bill, then they say, 'I can't do this. I can't afford it,’” he said.

Waimon sees cracking down on distracted drivers as a "twofer" - a way to save lives and raise revenue for cash-strapped local governments.

Teen gets prison for post-Bills game crash

Via MattarMedia - The 19-year-old who hit several people with his car outside a Buffalo Bills game in October was sentenced to nine years in prison.

A state Supreme Court judge rejected Brandon McLean's request to go to a substance abuse treatment program in Buffalo.

McLean was charged for a series of hit-and-runs October 11 after he sped out of a parking lot at Ralph Wilson Stadium, where the Bills had just lost to the Cleveland Browns.

McLean injured three pedestrians and four law enforcement officers. He ended up crashing into a telephone pole near the stadium.

McLean pleaded guilty in December to charges that included aggravated vehicular assault, reckless endangerment and driving while ability impaired.

Pilot error caused the crash

Federal investigators confirmed what the families of the victims of flight 3407 already expected, pilot error caused the crash.

The NTSB says both the pilot and first officer ignored sterile cockpit rules.

They let the plane reach dangerously slow speeds and the pilot did the opposite of what he should have done.

The NTSB determined an inappropriate response to an emergency by the captain and first officer of Continental flight 3407 led to the crash last February in Clarence Center, that claimed 50 lives.

Officials say the flight crew also made easily avoidable mistakes. Beginning with the crew entering contradictory speed warning information before takeoff. And once they were in the air, there was endless chatter.

Investigators say that caused the crew not to notice the plane was slowing down.

"It was as if the flight was just a means for the captain to conduct a conversation with this young first officer," said Robert Sumwalt, NTSB Chair.

NTSB investigators say the actions that followed were ineffective.

"His failure to make standard call outs or even a declarative statement associated with the recovery attempt further suggests that he was not responding to the situation using a well-learned habit pattern," said Dr. Evan Byrne of the NTSB.

The report concludes when the plane lost control, three times Pilot Marvin Renslow pulled back on the cockpit's stick pusher instead of pushing forward, raising questions about his training.

Captain Renslow's records also show he failed five flight tests, which raised even more questions about hiring practices at regional airlines.

Man Sentenced After Bills Game Crash

via MattarMedia (BUFFALO NY) - A teenager who was driving drunk and hit seven people with his car after a Bills game, was sentenced to three to nine years Tuesday morning.

Nineteen-year-old Brandon McLean of Williamsville pleaded guilty in December.

He admits to hitting the victims, including three police officers and then driving off after a Bills game back in October.

New Teen License Rules for New York State

Starting at the end of this month, teenagers going for their drivers license will have higher hurdles to jump over.

Beginning February 22nd, new rules go into effect. Young drivers can't go for their license until 6 months after getting a permit.

Teens will have to get 50 hours behind the wheel, with 15 of those at night. Teens used to only need 20 hours.

Teens are also banned from using any portable electronic devices behind the wheel, and only one non-family member can be a passenger in the car at the time.

Toyota announces plan to fix pedals

Via MattarMedia - Toyota Release: Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc., Monday announced it will begin fixing accelerator pedals in recalled Toyota Division vehicles this week. Toyota’s engineers have developed and rigorously tested a solution that involves reinforcing the pedal assembly in a manner that eliminates the excess friction that has caused the pedals to stick in rare instances. In addition, Toyota has developed an effective solution for vehicles in production.

Parts to reinforce the pedals are already being shipped for use by dealers, and dealer training is under way. Many Toyota dealers will work extended hours to complete the recall campaign as quickly and conveniently as possible, some even staying open 24 hours a day. The company has also taken the unprecedented action of stopping production of affected vehicles for the week of February 1.

Man Airlifted After Snowmobile Accident

Via MattarMedia - A Wayne County man was airlifted to the hospital after he lost control of his snowmobile Sunday evening.

The accident happened near Ridge Road in the town of Williamson. Sheriff's deputies say 20-year old Mason Wilson of Ontario was on a trail when he lost control and hit the handlebars.

He was taken by Mercy Flight to Strong Hospital for treatment. There was no word on the severity of his injuries.