Police Beat, Feb. 3, 2022

Editor’s note: An arrest or a charge is not a conviction. All persons listed are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Charges can be amended or dismissed.

Granville Police Department

Jan. 27

12 p.m. While an officer was stationary on Quaker Street, a blue purse was handed to the officer after being found at the laundromat. The officer made contact with the owner of the purse who said they would pick it up the next day.

Jan. 24

4:18 p.m. A village resident reported a potential scam call he received at home. The caller provided no personal information, but the scammers were trying to get the man to sign “fraudulent documents.” The man hung up the call before hearing the request. When an officer tried calling the number the scammers used, they received notification that the number is an unallocated number.

Whitehall Police Department

Jan. 22

2 a.m. An officer was dispatched to 20 Potter St. with the Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company for a report of clothes on fire in the bathroom. The resident was doing laundry when something caught fire, and the fire was put out by the time police and the fire company arrived. Officers tried entering the bathroom, but thick white smoke was pouring out of the room, which irritated their eyes and throats. When Assistant Fire Chief Darrell LaChapelle arrived on scene the bathroom was ventilated as fire personnel looked for the cause of the fire. Whitehall officers stood by until they were released by Chief Steven Brock of the fire company.

9:15 p.m. An officer was dispatched to 118 Broadway for a smoke condition at the residence. When the officer arrived, all units of the apartment were evacuated. The officer spoke to the downstairs resident who said the smoke came from a kerosene heater that was being used. The Whitehall Volunteer Fire Company responded and ventilated the residence.

Jan. 25

7:40 a.m. Department of Public Works foreman Steven Brock reached out to village officers to report ice on the side of 52 Champlain Ave. Brock was seeking entry to the building to check the pipes for the village. When officers arrived on scene, they spoke with a 68-year-old man who said the owner of the building was in Florida, but her brother was taking care of her house. The 58-year-old brother said he would let the DPW in if needed.

Jan. 26

2:20 a.m. An officer was parked at Dollar General when he was notified of a security alarm going off near the cash registers. The officer walked around the building and confirmed that all the doors were secure. He then noticed a balloon floating near the registers that had caused the alarm. When the alarm activated again, the officer reported the balloon to dispatch.

New York State Police

Jan. 24

2:30 p.m. Billie Jo Parker, 46, of Hudson Falls was arrested in Queensbury on three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor. She was issued an appearance ticket.

9:50 p.m. Jacob P. Nix, 49, of Granville was arrested for aggravated harassment in the second degree, threatening another party in a domestic dispute, a class A misdemeanor. He was being held.

Jan. 25

1:40 p.m. Ryan A. Donohue, 27, of Argyle was arrested in Greenwich for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree and possession of a hypodermic instrument, both class A misdemeanors. He was being held.

Jan. 29

8:30 a.m. Richard L. Hobbs, 57 of Queensbury was arrested in Glens Falls on three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor, and one count of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a class C felony. He was being held. At 9:28 a.m. Ian S. Chapman, 34, of Hudson Falls also was arrested in Glens Falls on three counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor. He was issued an appearance ticket.

9:41 a.m. Andrea L. Wolff, 42, of Cambridge was arrested for criminal contempt in the second degree, specifically disobeying a court order related to a domestic dispute, a class A misdemeanor. She was issued an appearance ticket.

10:25 p.m. Matthew R. Devlin, 30, of Argyle was arrested for criminal mischief in the fourth degree, preventing an emergency call, a class A misdemeanor, and criminal contempt in the first degree, specifically physical contact related to a domestic dispute, a class E felony. The incident is pending investigation.

Vermont State Police

Jan. 23

1:03 a.m. Vermont State Police were notified of a single-vehicle crash on Buxton Avenue in Middletown Springs. The driver had caused property damage to a power pole and left the scene of the crash without notifying law enforcement. Investigation revealed that Neil Russell, 47, of Middletown Springs had been driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. Russell was released with a citation to appear at Rutland Superior Court, Criminal Division, at a later date to answer to the charge of leaving the scene of an accident. Troopers were assisted on scene by the Middletown Springs Fire Department and Green Mountain Power.

Jan. 27

Vermont State Police took a report of past domestic assaults that occurred over the last 6-12 months at a residence in Wells. After investigation, it was determined that Stacey Pratt, 50, of Wells caused bodily injury and pain to a household member. Pratt was issued a criminal citation to appear in Rutland Superior Court, Criminal Division, at a later date to answer to the charge and then released.

Jan. 29

12:30 a.m. Vermont State Police responded to a single-vehicle crash on Middle Road in Clarendon. Investigation revealed that the operator, Miranda M. McPhee, 40, of Rutland was operating the vehicle while under the influence of intoxicants. McPhee was subsequently arrested for suspicion of DUI and processed and released on criminal citation to appear at Rutland Superior Court, Criminal Division, at a later date.

Jan. 30

3:13 p.m. Vermont State Police were notified of a retail theft at Hannaford Supermarket at 318 S. Main St. in Rutland. Through investigation it was determined that Johnathan Berry, 38, of Rutland left the premises without paying for merchandise. Berry was issued a citation to appear before Rutland Superior Court, Criminal Division, at a later date.


Fatal crash in Whitehall

On Friday, Jan. 28, at approximately 7:07 p.m., State Police in Granville responded to a two-car motor vehicle accident on State Route 4 in the Town of Whitehall.

Preliminary investigation determined that 25-year-old Jesse Nesbitt of Wilmington, Vermont, was traveling south on State Route 4 when his vehicle went off the eastern shoulder of the road and struck a guard rail. Nesbitt then returned to the roadway, crossed into the southbound lane and collided head-on with another vehicle.

Nesbitt was declared dead at the scene. The driver of the second vehicle, 58-year-old Bruce Ferguson of Granville, was transported to Glens Falls Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.