Morning News Brief

A Perry man was indicted Thursday for supplying drugs to a woman who then died of an overdose.  28 year old Todd Weigert was indicted for criminally negligent homicide, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd and 7th degrees and criminally using drug paraphernalia.  Weigert is alleged to have, with criminal negligence, supplied a narcotic drug to a 34-year-old woman who then overdosed and died as a result. In addition, Weigert is alleged to have possessed narcotic drugs with intent to sell them, possessed drug paraphernalia, and possessed another narcotic drug on a different date.  Weigert faces a maximum sentence of 4 years on the Criminally Negligent Homicide charge, and a maximum of 12 years on the Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance third degree charge.  His trial will be February 15th. 

A man in his twenties is dead after an accident in Orleans county Wednesday.  Orleans County Sheriff’s Office investigated a one car motor vehicle crash on State Route 31 in the Town of Ridgeway.  A preliminary investigation indicates that the vehicle was traveling eastbound and left the south shoulder of the roadway and then struck a telephone pole where it came to rest.  The driver, 23 year old Damon Benfer of Kent N.Y., was pronounced dead at the scene.  Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Investigators, along with the Monroe County Medical Examiner’s Office are continuing their investigation into this crash.

A Buffalo man who was being held on a second-degree murder charge has died after collapsing and becoming unresponsive inside the Erie County Court building on Thursday.  The sheriff’s office said 78-year-old Donald McCoy was being held on the second-degree murder charge in connection to the deadly stabbing of 55-year-old Adele Oliver inside the home she shared with McCoy on Amherst Street.  According to the sheriff’s office, McCoy had a complex medical history that required several hospitalizations during his three years in custody. McCoy was admitted to Buffalo General Hospital in November 2023 and then transferred to ECMC for treatment of an infection on his brain. He was cleared by medical staff on Thursday to be transported to Erie County Court to undergo a competency exam. Upon arrival McCoy collapsed and became unresponsive and it appears he suffered a sudden medical event.

Two teenagers face charges after a police chase ended in Corn Hill in Rochester following a pair of crashes Wednesday.  An 18 year old, Ameriquay Scott-Whitaker, was seen driving a stolen Hyundai by police around noon on Emerson Street on Wednesday.  Police attempted to stop him but he attempted to flee and rammed an unmarked police car.  He then fled on foot and was picked up by another stolen car driven by a 14 year old.  That car sped off and then crashed on Tubman Way.  Deputies arrested Scott-Whitaker and charged him with reckless endangerment, criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle along with several other outstanding warrants.  The 14-year-old suspect is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. He was taken to the Monroe County Children’s Detention Center. He was arraigned Thursday afternoon and placed on house arrest.

Residents in the Town of Bethany will only have one more opportunity to fill up their water totes at the Town Hall as the 6700 gallon tanker will be leaving after Tuesday.  Bethany and other towns have been suffering under a drought for the past several months with many families reporting their wells running dry.  People have been driving to neighboring towns and even counties to fill up on water so they can cook, clean and bathe.  A tanker truck was supplied by the state for filling up a few gallons at specific times.  And it hasn’t always been easy with the spigot freezing over on cold days.  The Office of Emergency Management is taking the tanker back after turning the town down for an extension.  For the moment there is not a plan for when the tanker leaves and residents will have to continue traveling for water.

The Buffalo Sabres beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 9 to 3 on Thursday night in Buffalo on their home ice.  Jordan Greenway scored first for the Sabres and his goal was followed by goals from Owen Power,  Rasmus Dahlin, Tage Thompson,  Jack Quinn, and Jeff Skinner and Kyle Okposo putting in 2 each.  Devon Levi stopped 25 shots in the goal.  The Sabres are in second to last place in the division with 14 wins and 17 losses.  They’ll be playing the Rangers who are number 1 in their division.  They’ll be in New York on Saturday with puck drop at 7:30.