Shelter Island Police Department blotter — May 18-25

Those named in arrest reports or receiving police summonses have not been convicted of a crime. In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.

Arrests

Following a traffic stop in the Heights on May 24 at 2:05 p.m., police arrested Raymond L. Sanwald, 42, of Shelter Island, who was charged with driving while ability impaired by a combination of drugs and alcohol — a felony offense.

Mr. Sanwald was held overnight and later arraigned in Shelter Island Justice Court. He was released on his own recognizance and ordered to appear in court at a later date. His vehicle was impounded according to the Suffolk County DWI Seizure Law.

Summonses

Thomas W. Alpers of Brooklyn was stopped on West Neck Road on May 18 and ticketed for speeding — 47 miles per hour in a 35-mph zone.

John A. Hudson of Flanders was also ticketed for speeding on May 18; he was driving 49 mph in a 35-mph zone on Ram Island Road.

On May 19, Michael J. Mescher of Miami Beach, Fla. was given a summons on North Ferry Road for operating a vehicle with a suspended/revoked registration.

The next day, Julie D. Hart of New York City was stopped on Jaspa Road and given a summons for also driving with a suspended/revoked registration.

Police conducted 10 distracted driving enforcement and traffic stops in the Center, West Neck, Ram Island and Cartwright on May 18 through 21 and on May 23, resulting in five warnings and four tickets.

Accidents

Michael A. Feuerstein of Tenafly, N.J. was driving west on West Neck Road on May 19 when he came to a stop sign; he made a right turn, not seeing a vehicle driven by Michael Ameruoso of New York City, which, after stopping at the sign, was entering the intersection from North Menantic Road and continuing to go straight onto New York Avenue. The vehicle was hit by Mr. Feuerstein, causing over $1,000 in damage to the driver’s–side front quarter panel of his vehicle and the passenger-side front quarter panel of Mr. Ameruoso’s vehicle.

The next day, Anthony P. Vozzo of Lindenhurst said he was driving south on South Menantic Road when the top of his beverage delivery truck hit a tree that was leaning over the roadway. There was estimated damage to the roof of his vehicle in excess of $1,000.

Other reports

A caller told police on May 18 that a U-Haul box truck was being driven suspiciously in front of a Menantic residence. An officer spoke to the resident who said he was having difficulty parking the U-Haul in his driveway.

Police were told about an erratic driver in the Heights on May 19; the area was canvassed with negative results.

Also on the 19th, an insurance scam was reported to police. A walker in a Center woods reported smoke in the northwest area of the woods. A Shelter Island fire chief and officer located the brush fire with the help of the caller and extinguished it.

PSEG responded to a power outage on Bridge Street on May 20. An officer also answered a call about keys locked in a vehicle in the Heights. The caller discovered the keys in his pocket. Also on that date, police investigated a call about suspicious activity at Silver Beach. No further information was provided.

A loud party was reported in Hay Beach on May 21; the area was searched with negative results.

A caller complained on the 21st that he couldn’t get to his driveway in Dering Harbor because of construction equipment and a trailer in the roadway. An officer talked to the company and was told the trailer would be removed and the work completed by the end of the day.

An officer noticed on May 21 that a vehicle was parked on a Center roadway, unattended but with its hazard lights on. The owner was talking to another person and advised to move the vehicle.

A complaint was received on the 21st that a construction worker at a neighbor’s Silver Beach house was making noise. The caller was advised about noise regulations. No negative problems were observed; one worker was making minimal noise. The complaint was unfounded.

Police were informed on the 21st that Island Boatyard patrons were running aground near the fuel dock. Red and green buoys were relocated by an officer and bay constable to alleviate the problem.

Police performed Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) checks in Silver Beach on May 22 and 23. No problems were noted; 22 were fishing on the first day, 21 on the second. ECL checks were also carried out in Hay Beach’s Hiberry Lane on May 22; 14 were fishing; there were no problems.

An officer and the Shelter Island Fire Department responded to a May 22 report that an outside outlet was smoking while a Center resident was power-washing a porch. The Fire Department turned off the electrical breaker to the outlet and advised the resident to contact an electrician.

A caller said that vehicles parked along a Ram Island roadway were causing a potential hazard by reducing the roadway to one lane. An officer spoke to an employee who was not aware of a parking issue.

A caller told police that on May 22, while attempting to turn his vehicle around on a Ram Island beach, it sank in the sand and couldn’t be moved. The officer was not successful in moving the vehicle either and advised the driver to contact a towing company.

Also on the 22nd, police received a complaint about a loud party and littering in Silver Beach. An officer found about 10 people packing up two parked vehicles. No noise was heard and the people were advised to check for any garbage before they left. The caller did not wish to be interviewed and the complaint was determined to be unfounded.

An officer and marine unit stopped a boat in Dering Harbor Sound on May 23 with passengers riding on the bow and explained how that could be dangerous.

Police received a missing person report on May 23 and attempts were made to contact the person with negative results. The individual was located the next day.

A confidential investigation into an assault was opened on May 24. That day, a caller said a truck was blocking a road in Dering Harbor. Arrangements were made to park the truck in a neighbor’s driveway.

In other incidents: Police attended off-site training in various locations; handled two false 911 calls; unlocked two vehicles with the keys inside; performed school crossings; conducted two well-being checks; assisted a resident in her home; and responded to one lost and found report.

Alarms

The Shelter Island Fire Department responded to a smoke alarm set off at a Westmoreland residence on May 18 and found the alarm detector hanging by its wires. It was disconnected and the owner advised.

On May 21, a fire alarm was activated in Montclair when a caretaker was working on the alarm system.

Animal incidents

A large snapping turtle was reported in the roadway in Menantic. An animal control officer (ACO) moved the turtle to a safer location.

Police were told that dogs were at large in Shorewood and later in West Neck; an ACO searched both areas without success.

A caller found a nest of baby birds without their mother in an enclosed porch in Dering Harbor; the ACO relocated the nest to a safer location nearby.

Aided cases

Shelter Island Emergency Medical Service teams transported three people to Eastern Long Island Hospital on May 19, 21 and 23. A fourth case on the 23rd did not require transport.