SOUTH SALEM, N.Y. - An unidentified package found in a store parking lot proved to be the most unusual item on the police blotter for August: a small backpack containing a pellet gun along with some folding knives.
The incident took place near the EV charging stations at the Acme parking lot in Goldens Bridge on Aug. 13. The bag had no identification on it, and the area where it was left could not be seen from the cameras on the side of the plaza. It is now stored in a locker at the Lewisboro Police headquarters.
An incident in Goldens Bridge on Aug. 6 provided a reminder that companies cannot solicit business door-to-door in Lewisboro without first obtaining a permit from the town. The complaint was filed by a resident who said a man was using a hoverboard to do door-to-door soliciting.
Police learned that the solicitor represented a company that had not obtained permission to do so from the Town. The salesperson was advised of the rules and then awaited pickup by his supervisor. A similar incident took place on a nearby street, in which another solicitor was also advised of the rules.
Police responded to a hazardous material spill on Monday, August 18. The leak was from an outdoor oil tank and was reported by people from the Highway Department as they arrived at the South Salem yard for work. A containment system there was leaking as well.
The South Salem Fire Department spread Speedy Dry and oil booms to stop the spread and notified the Westchester County HazMat team as well. Highway Department people began transferring the oil from the leaky tank into a portable tank. Police left the scene because the situation was well under control.
A worker at the Waccabuc Country Club came to Lewisboro Police Headquarters on Aug. 23, to file a complaint against a co-worker after being slapped in the face. The chef had been examined at Northern Westchester Hospital, where a doctor found no physical injury but noted the chef’s complaint of face pain. The complainant told the officer on duty that he wanted to obtain an order of protection against his co-worker.
The officer then conferred with the country club’s manager, who was aware of the incident and agreed to facilitate witnesses’ reports. None of the others present saw the complainant get slapped, although they overheard an angry exchange between the two men. One worker thought complainant had goaded the other co-worker to slap him.
The officer then informed the complainant that his request for a criminal summons did not seem warranted at the time. He further noted that he would consult the Westchester DA’s office, should the complainant want to pursue the matter. The complainant told the officer he would let him know.
Unhappy Camper
On Aug. 26, an officer found an unoccupied tent adjacent to the Acme supermarket and its parking lot. The occupant arrived shortly thereafter and said he was homeless. He also said he worked at Acme and attends school in New York City. He said he took a nearby train to school and thought camping there wouldn’t pose a problem. He was urged to speak to the manager at Acme and then move the tent. No further police action was taken.
Police responded to a landlord-tenant dispute in South Salem on Aug. 30. The tenant has an apartment in a home there and recently learned that the house was recently foreclosed and sold. The new owner wants her to move out and a person to help her move her things. Several other unidentified people arrived shortly thereafter to expedite the process, and neither the tenant nor the owner’s friend knew who they were.
This group of strangers was gone when police arrived. The tenant also claimed her door locks had been changed. The responding officer then tried to reach the new owner by phone but was unsuccessful. He advised the friend to tell the new owner that he could not change any locks until the tenant moved out. Nor could the new owner simply "throw" the tenant out of the apartment. The friend said he would either change the door locks back or get the tenant a new key until she is able to move.
August was a relatively light month for vehicular accidents in Lewisboro, with the following noteworthy incidents:
An accident involving property damage took place Goldens Bridge on Thursday, August 7. The accident took place on Main Street when the driver lost control of the vehicle, went down an embankment and hit a tree. The car sustained front end damage.
While dropping a child off to camp on August 8, a South Salem motorist inadvertently rear-ended another vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle said that the force of the collision caused her to strike a third vehicle. The third vehicle offered to provide rear-dash camera footage of the incident. All three individuals involved refused medical attention.
Another accident took place on Friday, August 22 in South Salem. A driver was traveling on Cross Pond and didn’t see a large roll of felt that had rolled into the roadway from a construction site. The driver hit the felt roll, causing minor damage to his bumper but no injuries. The officer called the site contractor to advise him of the situation, then called the construction firm’s office manager for insurance information. The officer gave the insurance information and a case number to the driver of vehicle’s driver.
An accident took place at the intersection of Mount Holly Road and Holly Hill Lane in Katonah. A motorist had attempted to pass several NYSEG vehicles that were performing tree work. The driver hit a rock at the side of the roadway, which caused a flat tire. There was no other damage to the vehicle and the driver was able to change his tire.
While there were fewer accidents than during most months, officers handled plenty of traffic infractions and impoundments. The month began with a police impounding a vehicle on Aug. 1 in South Salem.
The vehicle’s driver was traveling north on Bouton Road without a seat belt. After stopping the driver, the officer discovered the driver had a Guatemalan passport but no driver’s license. The driver said his new license is “coming in a few months.” He received tickets for not wearing a seat belt and for unlicensed operation, and the car was impounded by East Towing.
On Aug. 5, police stopped a vehicle in Cross River for an expired inspection sticker and for having a cracked windshield. The driver said she did not have her license or registration with her but provided the officer with her information. A check with eJustice revealed that both her license was suspended and the registration had expired. The vehicle was also uninsured.
Sal’s Towing impounded the vehicle, and the driver received seven tickets: operating without insurance, visibly distorted broken glass, operating an uninspected vehicle, operating an unregistered vehicle, driving without a valid license, operating a vehicle while the registration was suspended/revoked, and aggravated unlicensed operation in the third degree. The driver also received a court-appearance ticket.
On Friday, August 8, police stopped a driver traveling eastbound on Route 35 in South Salem. The driver was asked to exit his vehicle and when he did so, the responding officers noticed a strong scent of alcohol. One officer then administered a standard field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test, both of which the driver failed.
The driver was then placed under arrest and transported to Lewisboro Police Headquarters for processing. There he received another breath test, which produced the same result as the first - .12 percent. East Towing impounded the vehicle. The driver received four tickets: one for driving with a blood alcohol content of .8 percent or higher, another for driving while intoxicated, a third for driving an unregistered motor vehicle, and a fourth for driving to the left of the pavement markings. The driver also received a court appearance ticket.
Police were conducting traffic enforcement on Mead Street in South Salem on Aug. 10, when they observed a motorcycle driving too fast and with no rear plate. The driver was traveling north at 45 m.p.h. in a 25-m.p.h. zone. The driver was unable to produce a license, registration, or insurance certificate, though he did show the officer the bill of sale and title to the motorcycle.
An eJustice check on the vehicle identification number showed no record. Sal's Towing impounded the vehicle. The driver received four tickets: one for disobeying a traffic control device, a second for driving an unregistered motor vehicle, a third for operating without insurance, and a fourth for no license plate.
On Aug. 12 police stopped an SUV traveling north on Mead Street that also lacked a license plate. The vehicle had a temporary Connecticut plate adhered to the rear window. The driver had only a Brazilian license and said he purchased the temporary license plate online. A check with eJustice revealed the plate number was assigned to a different car. A similar check of the vehicle ID number revealed that it had last been registered in New York, not Connecticut, and the registration had expired last November.
The driver was taken to Lewisboro Police headquarters and received four tickets: for driving an unregistered vehicle, for unlicensed operation, for improper plates, and for driving without license plates. He also received a court appearance ticket.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here