(Watertown, NY – Oct. 4, 2011)  Francis T. Morgia II will be arraigned today, (Wednesday, Oct. 5) at 10 a.m. in the Town of Pamelia Court, located at 25859 NYS Route 37 in Watertown on additional charges.

On Monday Oct. 3 at approximately 5:10 p.m. Jefferson County 911 dispatched local police agencies to the Kohl’s Department Store in Watertown where it was reported that an 84-year-old female had her purse stolen, by force, by a male, and that male then immediately fled the store, entered a vehicle, and then left the store property.

Witnesses were able to provide a vehicle registration, and vehicle description. The 84 year-old, female was pushed to the ground, and sustained a minor laceration. She did not require medical attention.

Shortly thereafter, Glen Park Chief of Police Larry Jobson observed the suspect vehicle on East Main Street in the Village of Brownville. Jobson activated his emergency lights and siren, and the suspect vehicle failed to pull over to the side of the road, and a pursuit ensued.

The suspect vehicle proceeded to the City of Watertown, where it entered the city on West Main Street.  During the pursuit, members of the Watertown Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and New York State Police coordinated to resolve the actions of the operator.  During the pursuit, the fleeing operator drove in a reckless manner, operating at speeds, at times, well in excess of the posted speed limits.

The suspect vehicle proceeded onto Bradley Street and then onto Route 12. The suspect vehicle then attempted to turn right on to Route 342 in the Town of Pamelia. The operator lost control due to excessive speed, and struck a vehicle that was west on Route 342, stopped at the stop sign, waiting to yield the right of way to other vehicles.

Post collision, both involved vehicles came to rest in the ditch on the North side of Route 342. The operator of the suspect vehicle fled on foot into a wooded area North of Route 342, and was subsequently apprehended by Troopers.

The operator was identified as Francis T Morgia II, 48, who currently resided at the Travel Lodge in Watertown. The vehicle was registered to another person.

As a result of the collision, four occupants received injuries. Three of the occupants were transferred to SMC Hospital, Watertown. They were identified as: William K Rafferty, age 40 (Driver), Jeffrey C Hammond, age 46 (Front Passenger), and Shirley H Hammond, age 75 (Left Rear), all of Brownville. Shirley Hammond subsequently succumbed to her injuries at SMC. A post mortem examination is scheduled to determine cause and manner of death. Rafferty and Jeffrey Hammond were treated and released.

Right rear passenger Autumn Tharrett, 25, was airlifted to University Hospital, Syracuse, where she is in stable condition with a head injury. She resides in Onondaga County.

Francis T Morgia II was charged with second-degree Manslaughter, first-degree Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle and third-degree Robbery.

Morgia was arraigned in the Town of Pamelia Court and committed to the Jefferson County Public Safety building in lieu of $75,000 cash, $150,000 bond, pending further action by the Court.

Additional charges may be lodged at a later time upon consultation with Jefferson County District Attorney.

The investigation at this time continues.

(Town of Oswego, NY – Sept. 30, 2011) The New York State Police arrested Rachel M. Schroeder, 43, of 3098 Main St., Meridian for Driving While Ability Impaired upon a traffic stop on Bunkerhill Road in the Town of Oswego.

Schroeder was on her way to pick up her 3-year-old child and was also consuming beer in the vehicle while driving.

She was charged with consumption of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, DWAI, and other V&T charges.  She is due to appear in the Town of Oswego Court on Oct. 17.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 29, 2011) State Police arrested Jennifer R. Riesel, 28, of 8 Furnace St. in Little Falls for second-degree Murder, a class “A” felony.

The investigation has revealed that Nelson may have asked Riesel to end his life, according to police. She would in return receive a financial gain from his death.  It appears Nelson was laying on the ground with his feet and hands tied.  Riesel then intentionally ran over him with a car causing his death. She is currently being held in the Herkimer County Jail.

 Original releases

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 28, 2011) - State Police are now investigating the death of 74 year-old, Francis R. Nelson from 132 Loomis Street in Little Falls as a homicide.  Due to the ongoing investigation more detailed information is not available at this time.

(Herkimer, NY- Sept. 27, 2011) - The New York State Police in Herkimer are investigating a suspicious death reported at 8:30am this morning. A landowner checking some farmland off Eatonville Road in the Town of Little Falls, Herkimer County discovered a vehicle parked off the road with a deceased male near the vehicle.

The deceased male has been identified as Francis R. Nelson, age 74, from 132 Loomis Street in Little Falls, NY. Mr. Nelson’s family members last spoke with him yesterday evening around 7pm. An autopsy will be underway shortly.

(Lysander, NY – Sept. 28, 2011) On Sept. 24 at about 11 p.m. Joseph A. Delia, 17, of Baldwinsville entered the Sunoco A Plus convenience store on Downer Street Road in Baldwinsville to purchase alcohol.  Unfortunately for Delia, the New York State Police were conducting an Underage drinker ID enforcement detail at the same place and time.

Delia was identified as being under age 21 by the persons assisting the New York State Police with the enforcement detail. Upon exiting the store with a 12-pack and three six-packs of beer Delia was stopped by Troopers.

It was discovered that Delia had used a forged New York State driver’s license to make the beer purchase.  Delia was subsequently charged with one count each of second-degree Criminal Possession of a forged instrument 2nd  (PL 170.25), second-degree Criminal Impersonation (PL 190.25), and Unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21 years of age (ABC 65-C).

He was processed at SP Lysander and issued an Appearance ticket returnable to the Van Buren Town Court on Oct. 5.

During the ID enforcement initiative seven tavern/bars and 11 retail establishments within the Towns of Clay and Van Buren were checked for their compliance with the laws of the State of New York relative to prohibiting sales of alcohol to persons under the age of twenty-one.   All of the listed establishments found to be in compliance with the applicable laws.

The following locations were checked without any violations being noted:

Fast Trac                                  Sunoco Inc

8467 Oswego Rd                     8450 Oswego Rd

Liverpool, NY 13090                 Liverpool, NY 13090

Tops Grocery Store                  Moyers Corners Wine & Spirits

8417 Oswego Rd                     8417 OswegoRd

Baldwinsville, NY 13090           Baldwinsville, NY 13027

Rite Aid Inc #10731                 Chili’s Restaurant

8417 Oswego Rd                     3954 St-31

Baldwinsville, NY 13027           Liverpool, NY 13090

Outback Steakhouse               Uno Chicago Grill

3946 St-31                              3974 St-31

Liverpool, NY 13090                Liverpool, NY 13090

Applebee’s Restaurant            Olive Garden Restauran

3975 St-31                              4125 St-31

Liverpool, NY 13090                Clay, NY 13041

Ruby Tuesday’s Restaurant    Smokey Bones

4081 St-31                              4036 St-31

Clay, NY 13041                        Liverpool, NY 13090

Sunoco Express Mart               Walmart Inc #1831

4031 St-31                              3949 St-31

Liverpool, NY 13090                 Liverpool, NY 13090

Wegmans Grocery Store          Red Apple

3955 St-31                               2371 West Genesee St

Liverpool, NY 13090                 Baldwinsville, NY 13027

Hess Express                           Sunoco A plus

2211 Downer St Rd                 2232 Downer St Rd

Baldwinsville, NY 13207           Baldwinsville, NY 13207

(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 26, 2011) On Sept. 25 Candace R. Curby, 29, of 526 Bryant Ave., Syracuse was arrested by the New York State Police – Syracuse for Driving While Intoxicated after she was stopped for a seat belt violation on the Thruway.

Curby was found to have a BAC of .11 percent.

She was released to appear in the Town of Salina court Oct. 13 at 5 p.m.

(Herkimer, NY – Sept. 27, 2011) The New York State Police in Herkimer are investigating a suspicious death reported at 8:30am Sept. 27. A landowner checking some farmland off Eatonville Road in the Town of Little Falls discovered a vehicle parked off the road with a deceased male near the vehicle.

The deceased male has been identified as Francis R. Nelson, 74, of 132 Loomis St., Little Falls.

Nelson’s family members last spoke with him the evening before around 7 p.m.

An autopsy will be underway.

Anyone with information is asked to contact State Police at (315) 366-6000.

(Watertown, NY – Sept. 27, 2011) On Sept. 27 at approximately noon, the New York State Police pursuant to a vehicle stop and subsequent commercial vehicle inspection by the NYSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit, approximately 106 kilos of cocaine was discovered in the sleeper cab of a tractor trailer.

The stop occurred on State Route 11 in the Town of Antwerp, Jefferson County. The operator of the trailer, identified as 48 year-old, Alain Thuot, of Quebec, Canada, was taken into State Police custody, and turned over to Federal authorities, namely the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Syracuse and held on a Federal detainer.

Thuot will be charged in Federal Court at a later date.

The seized cocaine has a street value of approximately $4.5 million dollars.

(Syracuse, NY – Sept. 25, 2011) On Sept. 23, Geoff J. Kalkowsky, 20, of 1949 SR-468, Mohawk and Jacob T. Phalen, 21, of 86 W. Main St., Mohawk were arrested by the New York State Police – Syracuse for Unlawful Possession of Marijuana after their vehicle was stopped for an inspection violation on the Thruway.

Both subjects were released to appear in the Town of Sullivan court Oct. 11 at 4:30 pm.

(Lowville, NY – Sept. 22, 2011)  In a surprise move at their convention on Sept. 20, the Conservative Party delegates from the six counties in the Fifth Judicial District selected Democrat Charles Merrell to run for one of the four state Supreme Court seats on the November ballot.

Judge Merrell, County, Surrogate and Family Court judge in Lewis County since 2003, has also been an acting state Supreme Court justice since 2007. He is one of several Democrats in the race, but the only one nominated by the Conservative Party.

Delegate Bernie Ment, the chairman of the DeWitt Conservative Party committee, explained that judicial experience was the key factor in the party’s decision to nominate Judge Merrell. “He is the one candidate who had experience on the bench as an acting state Supreme Court justice,” Ment said.

“One of the primary slogans for my campaign is Experience Matters,” said Judge Merrell. “It’s very satisfying to see that the Conservative Party feels the same way.”

The Democrats in the Fifth Judicial District held their convention on Saturday, Sept. 24 at party headquarters in Syracuse.

To find out more about Judge Charles Merrell and his campaign for State Supreme Court, visit www.electmerrell.com or www.facebook.com/electmerrell

(Town of Lysander, NY – Sept. 25, 2011) Onondaga County Sheriff Kevin E. Walsh reports that Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a car/tractor-trailer accident on Route 370 in the Town of Lysander, which sent one person to the hospital with life threatening injuries.

At approximately 1:46 a.m., Sheriff Deputies responded to a reported car/tractor-trailer collision on Route 370 just west of Tater Road near the Cayuga County line.

Deputies reported that a 2009 Toyota Corrolla, operated by a Paul A. Congleton (26) of English Settlement Road, Ogdensburg was traveling east bound on Route 370 when he crossed the center line into the west bound lane of traffic into the path of a 2003 Kenworth tractor-trailer being operated by John W. Reese (64) of Wiman Avenue, Syracuse.

The force of the tractor-trailer pushed Congleton’s vehicle back several hundred feet before both vehicles came to rest.

Rescue crews from the Plainville, Cato and Baldwinsville Fire Department also responded to the scene, where they had to extricate Congleton from his vehicle, due to the extensive damage caused by the collision.

Congleton was then transported by GBAC ambulance to University Hospital where he is listed in critical condition and is said to have internal injuries with several broken bones.

Reese was not injured but was evaluated at the scene by medical personnel.

Route 370 between Tater Road and the Cayuga County line is closed to all traffic while the Sheriff’s Accident Investigation Unit continues to investigate the scene. Fog weather conditions and alcohol appear to be a factor in Congleton crossing the center line prior to the collision.

Tickets are expected to be issued pending the outcome of the investigation.