Morning News Brief
Written by Michael Baldwin on May 3, 2021
Fire strikes a home in Bennington overnight. Smoke and flames were visible at the property located at 368 Route 77 between Church Road and the Genesee County line. Fire Departments from Bennington, Cowlesville, Sheldon, Attica Alexander and Darien all responded. No word on the cause.
A Genesee County woman faces a two-count indictment to include a top charge of second-degree attempted murder. 49-year-old Colleen Nelson of Alabama was also indicted for criminal possession of a weapon. Authorities allege that on July 29th Nelson attempted to kill a co-worker by stabbing the person.
New York’s statewide COVID positivity rate has dropped to 1.49%, the lowest since October 28th. The governor says the numbers are trending in the right direction. The Finger Lakes Region reports 201 COVID-related hospitalizations.
A Genesee County Grand Jury has handed up a five-count indictment against a Stafford man. His top counts are felony assault. He allegedly injured a police officer who was attempting to arrest him. The incident happened last October in the City of Batavia.
A Batavia woman is facing charges following a vehicle crash on Byron Road in Stafford. Genesee County deputies arrested 44-year-old Heather Ann Larock. After the crash she was charged with DWI, moving from a lane unsafely and speed not reasonable and prudent. Larock is scheduled to appear in Stafford court on June 1st.
A state Appellate court has rejected a request from a Genesee County man to have his sex offender risk level reduced. In a four-page decision, the court noted some errors previously made by lower courts. In the end, the Justices said that John R. Chrisley is in the middle of the range for risk level two, and his history does not warrant a reduction to the lowest possible risk level.
Seabreeze Amusement Park plans to reopen later this month. Making the announcement on Facebook, the park plans to open May 22. Masks are required at all times while in the park, and guests must purchase tickets in advance.
A Philadelphia man who wanted his conviction to attempted forgery tossed…has lost his appeal. His conviction resulted from his 2018 arrest at Darien Lake. An attorney for Ernest Smith argued that the waiver of indictment was defective. In a short, single-page ruling, the Appellate Court disagreed and upheld the conviction.
A 71-year-old Monroe County woman was nearly a bail scam victim. But the grandmother wasn’t quick to give up her cash and did some detective work on her own. Deputies later took two people into custody as part of the scam operation. Investigators have warned about this scheme in recent weeks, saying they have gotten phone calls about elderly victims in the greater Rochester area. The suspects are believed to be tied to other similar cases in Erie and Genesee counties, as well as other states. Deputies recommend talking with relatives and loved ones about these scams and alerting them of when to call police.
