Shelter Island Police Department blotter — June 28-July 5

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 In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.

Summonses

Jose M. Ramirez failed to stop at a stop sign on Shore Road on June 29 and was ticketed. He received a second ticket for operating out of class.

Two tickets were issued on July 5 to Ana G. Sandoval Gomez for moving unsafely from the lane (Winthrop Road) and operating out of class (Cedar Avenue).

A town summons was issued on July 4 to Stephanie Bucalo of Shelter Island for allowing dogs to bark continuously for 58 minutes.

Bay constables ticketed Michael C. Aboy of Wayne, N.J. on July 4 for not wearing a PFD (personal flotation device) in the waters off Crescent Beach, and to Alexander C. Lefort of Winter Park, Fla., for operating an unregistered motorboat, also off Crescent Beach.

Police conducted 15 traffic stops in the Heights, Center, West Neck and Menantic on June 29 and 30 and July 1, 3, 4 and 5, resulting in nine warnings and four tickets.

Traffic control officers issued 30 parking tickets during the week.

Accidents

Corbin Michael M. Coles of Harrison, N.Y., was traveling west on Winthrop Road  on June 29  when he tried to avoid a bicyclist while approaching a curve. He entered the eastbound lane where he hit a vehicle driven by Melecio Mayen De La Cruz of Hyattsville, Md. who then veered right and hit a tree, suffering an injury to his arm. He was transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital.

Attempting to brake, Mr. Coles slid into a parked car belonging to Donald C. Devries of Shelter Island. Rebecca M. Shafer of Shelter Island was driving south on Winthrop when she braked to avoid the accident and hit Mr. Coles vehicle.

Damages to the left front of all four vehicles exceeded $1,000 in damage.

Mr. Coles was subsequently ticketed for operating out of class. Mr. De La Cruz was given a summons for aggravated unlicensed operation in the 3rd degree.

William C. Hannabury of Shelter Island was backing out of a parking space on Shore Road on July 2 when he hit a bicyclist — Alex P. Winkler of Shelter Island — who was headed north on Shore Road. Mr. Winkler had abrasions on his arms and legs and was transported by an Emergency Medical Services team to Eastern Long Island Hospital. Mr. Hannabury’s vehicle had minor damage to the front right bumper and hood.

Eric J. Koszalka of Shelter Island told police that on July 3 he was driving south on Dinah Rock Road when his vehicle went through a large puddle, causing him to lose control and hit a pole. There was $1,000 damage to the passenger’s-side of the vehicle and no injuries.

Beth P. Altschull of Pittsburg, Penn. was traveling north on South Midway Road when she slowed for the stop sign, saw no approaching vehicles and hit Jodi Bentivegna of Shelter Island who was on a bicycle. Ms. Bentivegna told police she was headed east on Smith Street, slowed for the stop sign and proceeded. According to the draft report, there were no injuries and only minor damage to the vehicle.

On July 3, Douglas G. Valk of Shelter Island was backing out of a parking space on North Ferry Road when his trailer hitch hit the front bumper of a vehicle belonging to William Noah Levine of New York City. There was minor damage to Mr. Levine’s bumper, no damage to Mr. Valk’s vehicle.

While exiting Dering Harbor on July 5, Vernon Bernard Schwartz of Old Greenwich, Conn., hit a sailboat owned by Dennis Clark of Shelter Island that was tied to a mooring on the west side of the channel. There was no damage to the sailboat and a 5-inch scratch on the port quarter of the other boat.

Other reports

On July 29, an officer assisted a kayaker who had capsized and was unable to right the kayak or return to shore. Also on the 29th, a caller reported a pickup truck, traveling at a high rate of speed, was boarding a South Ferry boat. The truck was gone when police arrived; Southampton police were notified.

Police investigated a caller’s hacked PayPal account on June 30; she was advised to change her security settings and given a Police Department Identity Theft book. On that date, police were informed that a person had left a Center store without paying. Police were able to identify the suspect through a surveillance camera. The caller did not want to press charges for petit larceny but asked the police to notify the person that if he returned, he would be arrested.

On July 2, a case of identity theft and an unemployment scam were investigated in Hay Beach. A motorist asked for police help on July 3 when she found herself locked in her vehicle in the Center.

A caller complained about several parked vehicles along both sides of a Silver Beach roadway. A traffic control officer found all vehicles were legally parked and not causing any traffic problems. A second call later about the same situation was received; the drivers of two vehicles were about to leave. It was agreed that the area would be checked daily.

Loud music was reported anonymously in Hay Beach on the 3rd. The groom, at his wedding reception, said he would lower the volume.

Swim lines at Crescent Beach were put back in place after becoming dislodged. A power outage in Montclair was reported to PSEG.

Also on the 3rd, an open door was reported at a home in Menantic; police found no signs of any criminal activity and locked the door upon leaving. A caller documented receiving an unwanted phone call. Loud music was reported in HiLo; it was not audible when police responded.

Two complaints about fireworks were received on July 3 — in the Center and on Ram Island. None were being fired when police responded in one case; in the second, all the fireworks had already been set off.

Environmental Conservation Law checks were carried out on Ram Island and Silver Beach on the 3rd. There were no reported problems; 18 were fishing.

On July 4, police received a complaint about loud music and yelling at a Montclair residence; the volume was lowered. Noise was also reported on a beach on Ram Island; the volume on the vehicle’s radio was also lowered.

Police received a call on July 4 that a person had been last seen on an inflatable raft off Menantic. When an officer responded, the individual had been located.

Also on the 4th, a driver who failed to pay the fare on a South Ferry boat was reported heading north on South Ferry Road. He had been advised to use the ATM  at the ferry terminal. An officer located the driver who stated he was under the impression he could pay for both fares at the North Ferry. He was advised to return to South Ferry and pay the fare.

A caller complained that several cars were parked at Bootleggers Alley without permits and that people were gathering above the high water line. Two cars were issued parking tickets; no one was observed above the high water line.

On that date, an anonymous caller reported an intoxicated person attempting to drive in West Neck. An officer located the individual who was sitting on the beach waiting for a ride; he was not trying to drive, according to a family member, but had just been sitting in the vehicle.

A complaint was received on the 4th about loud music at SALT. When an officer arrived, it was determined that the noise level was not in violation.

A case of harassment was reported in the Center. In another incident, officers were unable to locate fireworks in the Center. Fireworks in Shorewood were also called in on July 4 and 5; the area was canvassed with negative results. A loud party in Hay Beach was reported on July 5; an officer responded and said the complaint was unfounded.

On the 5th, a caller told police a group of people was above the high water line in Silver Beach. An officer found the group to be below the high water line. Later that day, police responded to another complaint about groups above the high water line. Officers found two groups were slightly above the posted signage; one party left and the other moved.

A customer in West Neck became agitated and was yelling, according to a caller on July 5.

In other reports during the week, police unlocked two vehicles with the keys inside; filed administrative reports; assisted motorists with two disabled vehicles; jump started a vehicle; conducted a wellbeing check; responded to nine lost and found reports; and handled traffic control at North Ferry.

Alarms

The Shelter Island Fire Department responded to four alarms on Ram Island, the Center (two alarms) and Mashomack on June 29 and July 3 and 5. No problems were noted in two cases, a third was caused by a person smoking and the fourth was a false alarm due to technical difficulties.

Technical problems also set off a Center alarm on June 29. A carbon monoxide alarm was heard at a neighbor’s home in Menantic on July 4; it was caused by a faulty smoke detector.

Animals

Animal control officers (ACOs) conducted patrols of Wades and Crescent beaches, looking for dogs on and off leashes, on June 29 and 30 and July 1, 2 and 4. Numerous warnings were issued to dogs’ owners.

A caller reported a dog bite in the Center; police observed no puncture marks but some bruising. A dog that was missing in Dering Harbor was subsequently found the next day and was retrieved by its owner. Dogs at large, reported in Westmoreland, were determined by the ACO to be on their own property. A dog at large in Dering Harbor was gone when police arrived, and another dog was reunited with its owner who was visiting the Island.

A caller found a dog in the Heights that was returned to its owner without incident. A lost dog in Harbor View was spotted by a person who contacted the ACO, who then reunited the dog with its owner.

An injured deer in the Center had gone when an officer arrived. A caller reported seeing a diseased-looking squirrel on Ram Island; the animal was no longer there when the ACO responded.

A snapping turtle in Cartwright was reported far from a fresh water pond. The ACO relocated the turtle.

An injured gull on Ram Island was taken by an ACO to a vet for treatment. An injured blue jay in South Ferry Hills was also transported to a vet.

A bird stuck in a wood stove in the Center was freed by an ACO. A caller reported a bird’s nest in West Neck was in a dangerous location. The ACO relocated the nest. A similar case was reported in Menantic and the nest was also relocated.

A fawn “in distress” was reported in the Center. The ACO observed a healthy fawn waiting for its mother to return.

Aided cases

Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services teams transported nine people to Eastern Long Island Hospital on June 29 and 30 and July 1, 2, 3 and 4. Two cases were taken to Southampton Hospital on June 29 and July 5. A person on July 4 refused medical attention.