Niagara County Sheriff's Office has stolen vehicle pursuit & two weekend fires

Information Courtesy of the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office

On Saturday at 5:21 a.m., the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office communications division received a 9-1-1 call from a female caller in the 800 block of Sunnyside Drive in the Town of Niagara. She stated that a male in a mask approached her idling vehicle and stole it from her driveway.

As deputies and New York State Troopers responded to the area, a second 9-1-1 call came in from a motorist on Niagara Falls Blvd in the Town of Wheatfield. This motorist reported a vehicle was following him, driving erratically, and the male operator had a firearm. Deputy Drake located said vehicle and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The vehicle, confirmed to be the same stolen vehicle, failed to yield and a pursuit ensued.

Law enforcement from the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Town of Niagara Police, City of Niagara Falls Police and New York State Park Police all worked together as the incident unfolded. The pursuit led south on Niagara Falls Boulevard, through a parking lot roadside, and back north on Niagara Falls Boulevard, into the City of Niagara Falls. It continued in the area of Cayuga Drive, 87th Street and the surrounding LaSalle area before entering Cayuga Village.

During the pursuit, a tire deflation device was successfully deployed twice, once by the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and once by the City of Niagara Falls Police Department. Ultimately, the vehicle fled to the 1200 block of Dogwood Drive, where it crashed into the carport and the operator exited the vehicle and fled into the home, locking the door behind him.

Responding units set up a perimeter and were able to breach the home from the back door. The operator was identified as a 33-year-old-male from the Town of Niagara. He was taken into custody without incident. The individual was evaluated by EMS and signed off. No firearm was located.

He was remanded to the Niagara County Correctional Facility awaiting centralized arraignment on the following charges: grand larceny, third degree (“D” felony); criminal mischief, fourth degree (“A” misdemeanor); fleeing an officer in a motor vehicle, third degree (“A” misdemeanor); resisting arrest (“A” misdemeanor); obstruction of governmental administration, second degree (“A” misdemeanor); reckless driving (misdemeanor); aggravated unlicensed operation, second degree (misdemeanor); and numerous VTL violations.

At 8:25 P.M., the NCSO dispatch center received a call reporting a mobile home fire on B Street, in Cayuga Village Mobile Home Park, in the Town of Niagara. Deputies responded to the scene and observed heavy smoke and flames emanating from the front of the mobile home.

Following the evacuation of all occupants, the fire was subsequently extinguished by members of the Niagara Active and Sanborn Volunteer fire companies, and the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station Fire Department.

The mobile home sustained heavy fire and smoke damage. No injuries were reported. The NCSO criminal investigation bureau and the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit are conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the fire.

On Sunday, at approximately 8:24 p.m., the NCSO communication center received several calls reporting a possible structure fire on Lockport Olcott Road. The house was determined to be vacant. The Olcott Volunteer Fire Co. and Miller Hose Volunteer Fire Co. responded and extinguished the fire.

The house is considered a total loss.

The investigation into the origin of the fire is being conducted by the Niagara County Fire Investigation Unit.