WHITEHALL POLICE BEAT
Dec. 28
8:18 p.m. A Whitehall woman was taken into custody after village police determined she was wanted on a warrant out of Glens Falls. Angelina M. Reyes, 26, of Adams Street, was transported to Glens Falls and turned over to police there.
Dec. 29
12:10 p.m. Police were called to a Smith Street business in response to a report of a motor vehicle crash in the business’ parking lot. The owner of a pickup truck told officers he had been in his vehicle when it was struck by a garbage truck. Police spoke to the driver of the garbage truck and the driver’s supervisor, who said the company would take care of any repairs the pickup would need.
Dec. 30
9:18 p.m. Officers were dispatched to a Broadway residence in response to a report of a domestic dispute in which one of the parties involved threw a screwdriver at the other. Police interviewed the parties and determined that no one had thrown a screwdriver but that the female had thrown a light down a staircase. No physical contact occurred, and the male involved left the residence.
Dec. 31
4:30 a.m. Police were called to a Lower Bellamy Street residence in response to a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival, officers found a woman’s car blocked by another vehicle and unable to leave. The woman was able to maneuver around the other vehicle and left the scene. No police action was necessary.
Jan. 1, 2024
4:59 a.m. Officers were dispatched to a Poultney Street residence in response to a 911 call in which a male could be heard whispering but could not be understood. Police spoke to the resident, who told them he heard noises coming from the back yard of his residence. He told them he does not lock his rear door at night and said he was whispering on the 911 call because he did not know if someone was in the yard. Officers checked the yard and found the back door closed and numerous garbage bags in the yard, which may have attracted animals. The caller was told to keep his back door locked.
Jan. 2
8 a.m. Two Whitehall teens were arrested on larceny charges in connection with an alleged shoplifting incident. The girls, ages 13 and 14, had left the store before police arrived but were located on Saunders Street, where officers discovered them in possession of multiple alcoholic beverages that had been reported stolen. The teens and their guardians were issued appearance tickets ordering them to appear at the Washington County Probation Office on Jan. 26.
Jan. 3
5 p.m. Police were dispatched to Adams Street in response to a report of neighbors fighting, with one reportedly threatening to get a weapon. Police spoke to one of the parties involved, who said neighborhood children were fighting and his daughter had been struck by another child, leaving her with a cut on her finger. He denied threatening to get a weapon. The other participant said the children were fighting and that the man had gotten in her face. Both parties were told to stay away from one another and to keep their children separated as well.
FAIR HAVEN POLICE BEAT
Dec.29
Following an investigation into a reported contempt of court violation, police arrested 43-year-old Garrett T. Givens of Fair Haven on 21 counts of violation of conditions of release and obstruction of justice. It is alleged Givens had contact with a protected party 20 times through phone calls and once through a visitation at the Washington County Correctional Facility. Givens was incarcerated on charges of grand larceny, unlawful mischief and false pretenses.
It is further alleged Givens offered to give the protected person a vehicle in exchange for dropping the charges against him. Givens’ attorney was served with a citation to appear in Rutland District Court to answer the new charges.
Dec. 31
4 p.m. – Police conducted a traffic stop after observing a vehicle failing to keep numerous times on Fourth Street. The operator, 52-year-old Mary E. Coombs of Castleton, allegedly showed signs of intoxication and subsequently failed a field sobriety test. She was arrested on the charge of DUI. According to the incident report, during processing Coombs recorded a blood-alcohol content of 0.313, nearly four times the legal limit. Coombs was issued a citation to appear in Rutland District Court and released.
Jan. 4
Officers took a Rutland woman into custody after stopping her for speeding on West Street. Rebecca S. Derusha, 46, was wanted for failure to appear in Rutland District Court in August of last year. Derusha is also listed as a fugitive from justice from the state of New York on a possession of stolen property charge.
Derusha is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail per the warrant.
Officers arrested 26-year-old Youssef I. Rajia of Bomoseen after stopping him for speeding on U.S. Route 4. Rajia was allegedly clocked at 91 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. It was subsequently determined that Rajia had a criminally suspended driver’s license. He was arrested, processed and released on a citation to appear in Rutland District Court at a later date.
RUTLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE BEAT
On Thursday, Dec. 28, deputies and members of the Fair Haven Police department conducted a sobriety checkpoint in the Town of Wallingford. The checkpoint stopped 144 vehicles with none showing any signs of impairment.
Law enforcement did, however, issue two vehicle equipment violations, one no-insurance ticket, three violations for children not restrained and one for an unregistered vehicle.
