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Erie County Sheriff Timothy Howard reports that sheriff's deputies made two arrests on the Island for driving while intoxicated over New Year's Eve.
Deputy Timothy Higgins was investigating an injury accident on Stony Point Road at approximately 5:51 p.m. Dec. 31 on Grand Island when he discovered one of the drivers to be intoxicated. Higgins arrested 60-year-old William Ross of Akron for felony DWI. Ross refused a breath test and he was released on appearance tickets at Erie County Medical Center, where he was taken for treatment of injuries sustained in the accident. Ross' DWI charge was upgraded to a felony due to a prior DWI conviction.
On Grand Island at about 2:23 a.m. Jan. 1, deputies Daniel Milbrandt and Eric Szkatulski were investigating a domestic disturbance when the male party, who had fled the residence earlier, returned to the scene. Jason Kinthiseng, 37, of Grand Island was found to be intoxicated and was arrested for DWI. A breath test revealed Kinthiseng's blood-alcohol content to be .16 of 1 percent. He was released on appearance tickets returnable to the Town of Grand Island Court at a future date.
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The Erie County Division of Highways has contacted the Erie County Sheriff's Office regarding snow being plowed onto or across a public roadway.
Section 1219 of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law specifically prohibits snow being deposited onto any highway. This section pertains not only to residents plowing their driveway and pushing snow across the roadway, but to private snow removal contractors as well.
The sheriff's office stated that even more important is the fact that pushing snow across or onto a roadway often creates a hazardous condition. Motorists may lose control when their vehicle strikes snow that is left in the highway, or when they suddenly attempt to avoid it.
Anyone having any questions regarding this law can contact the Erie County Sheriff's Office Traffic Bureau at 716-858-3270 for more information.
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The Erie County Sheriff's Office is reporting the arrest of a City of Buffalo resident on burglary and petit larceny charges for an incident that occurred in the Town of Grand Island.
Detectives Brian O'Hara, Gregory McCarthy and Matthew Noecker arrested and charged Thomas W. Schleer Jr., age 27, of Bailey Avenue in the city, after an investigation into a burglary he committed at Dr. Huggs car wash on Nov. 30. Detectives were able to enhance video surveillance footage to positively identify Schleer as the individual who broke into an employee room and stole money.
Schleer is on parole and is currently in custody at the Erie County Holding Center. He was arraigned on charges of third-degree burglary (a class D felony), and petit larceny (a misdemeanor) in Grand Island Town Court.
The Buffalo Police Department assisted the sheriff's office with this investigation.
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An Islander was charged with DWI after a three-car accident on Grand Island Boulevard Dec. 29.
At approximately 6 p.m., Erie County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan Rodgers responded to a three-car property damage accident on Grand Island Boulevard in the Town of Grand Island. One of the involved motorists, Mark B. Gollwitzer, age 57, of Baseline Road, was charged with driving while intoxicated. A breath test revealed his blood-alcohol content to be .12 of 1 percent. He was released to a family member and is scheduled to appear in Grand Island Town Court for arraignment.