Shelter Island Police Department blotter: July 22
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 In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.
ARREST
As a result of a traffic stop on North Ferry Road on July 16, Gilberto Sanchez, 53, of Shelter Island was arrested and charged with failure to keep right and driving while intoxicated. The latter charge was his first DWI offence. Mr. Sanchez was held overnight and arraigned in Shelter Island Justice Court the following afternoon. He was released on his own recognizance and directed to return to court at a later date.
Summonses
Jean Pierre R. Ferrada of Huntington was given a ticket on July 14 on North Ferry Road for driving while using a portable electronic device.
On July 15, Jack H. Savage of Darien, Conn. received a summons on Manhasset Road for disobeying a traffic control device.
Leslie Tawfick of Shelter Island was given two town summonses, related to last week’s July 15 pit bull attack in Hay Beach. One for having a dog at large — not keeping her dog on her own premises — which resulted in the dog biting a person on the arm, causing serious injury. The second was a violation of the town ordinance regarding biting dogs.
The animal control officer (ACO) issued a town summons to Randal Culpepper of Shelter Island on July 16 for having a dog on Wades Beach, prohibited by town code between Memorial and Labor days. She also gave Stephanie Bucalo of Shelter Island a ticket on July 16 for allowing her dogs to bark continuously for 21 minutes in the Center.
The bay constable issued three tickets on July 17 in the waters off Crescent Beach, one to U. Liceaga of New York City for having a child under 12 on board without a PFD (personal flotation device) and two to Peter G. Ferguson of Greenport for an insufficient number of PFDs on board for six people and for a child under 12 without a PFD.
Police conducted 26 traffic stops each day between July 13 and 19 in the Center, the Heights, West Neck, South Ferry, Ram Island, Menantic and Hay Beach, resulting in two tickets and 18 warnings. Traffic control officers issued 24 parking tickets.
Other reports
Callers reported a bank check scam on July 13 and an Amazon scam on July 15.
Gunshots in the Center were called in on the 13th and the 15th in the Center but an officer searched the area in both cases with negative results.
On the 14th, there was a complaint about damage to the public restrooms at Wades Beach. A caller was told by a neighbor on July 15 that people were swimming in her pool while she was not at home. Police interviewed the subjects in the driveway who said their employer had given them permission to use the pool. The caller did not wish any further police action.
On that day, a person anchored in Coecles Harbor told police about a small fire on the beach shore at Mashomack. An officer responded and was unable to locate any fire or persons at the location.
The Police Department assisted Southampton Police with a missing person request on the 15th.
On July 16, police provided traffic control when a tree was reported blocking a lane of traffic on Route 114. Police scheduled an extra patrol when an officer was told there were ATV tracks on the Suffolk County Park in Hay Beach.
A loud party was reported in Menantic on the 15th; the owner lowered the volume without incident. On the 16th, police were told that a catamaran was stored at a Menantic town landing without a permit. The owner, who lives adjacent to the landing, was advised to obtain a permit or move the boat across the property line.
The owners of five boats moored outside of a designated anchorage in Silver Beach were advised on the 18th to relocate.
A caller told police on July 17 that a woman was walking in the middle of the road in front of the Tuck Shop. An officer said the woman told him she had dropped her hat and was trying to find it. The officer found it on New York Avenue.
A complainant reported that cars were parked along a Silver Beach Road and that people were trespassing on the beach. An officer found three vehicles parked, two of which had already been issued tickets for parking without a permit.
A jet skier was stopped on the 17th and issued a warning for operating at more than 5 mph next to anchored boats in West Neck Harbor. Another jet skier was given a warning for operating too close to anchored boats in Smith’s Cove. Bay constables noticed a boat being operated in an erratic manner in West Neck Harbor. The owner said he was a new boater and was unsure of local waters.
On the 17th, a bay constable saw a boat off Mashomack with 11 people on board when it was only rated for six. Five people were transferred to a marine unit and the boat was escorted to a dock in Sag Harbor. Warnings were issued for reckless operation, failure to carry registration and having a child under 12 on board without a PFD.
A woman was reported sitting on a beach in Silver Beach above the high water line. She was advised to either sit below the high water line or move to another location.
The owners of six boats moored off Ram Island were advised to move to a correct anchorage in Coecles Harbor. A boat dragged its anchor and was on Crescent Beach; the owner was notified.
Loud music was reported in West Neck on the 17th. An officer responded and found the music was at a reasonable level.
An Environmental Conservation Law check was conducted in Hay Beach on July 18; no problems were noted. A tent was reported on a West Neck Beach in violation of town code; the tent was taken down without incident.
A caller reported on the 18th that a person was living on a sailboat off Ram Island within 400 feet of the shore, which is not permitted by Town Code. Bay constables advised him to move to a mooring further off shore.
The owner of a boat anchored off Silver Beach was told to relocate to a correct anchorage in West Neck Harbor.
An officer assisted two youths with a swamped dinghy in West Neck Creek on the 18th. Police were told an intoxicated person was seen getting into a vehicle and possibly headed towards the South Ferry. The area was canvassed with negative results.
On July 19th, police responded to a call about two young people setting off fireworks from a town dock in Cartwright. Officers answered a call from a Dering Harbor resident who heard noises coming from a Bilco door and thought someone was trying to get into her residence. The exterior and interior of the home was searched; there was no sign of any criminal activity.
In other reports, police opened two vehicles with the keys locked inside; assisted with a disabled vehicle; responded to six lost and found reports; fingerprinted an individual for a medical license; and conducted a well-being check.
Alarms
The Shelter Island Fire Department (SIFD) responded to four residential fire alarms in the Heights, the Center and Menantic (two alarms) on July 14, 16, 17 and 18. One was a false alarm, the second ceased to sound after the owner replaced the battery, the third was due to a malfunction and the fourth was activated by smoke from cooking.
A commercial fire alarm at the Gardiner’s Bay Country Club on the 17th was due to a malfunction.
Two other fire alarms were set off in Hay Beach on the 13th and West Neck on the 19th. The owner reported the first was a false alarm; the second was due to a malfunction. The SIFD was notified in both cases.
The SIFD also answered a carbon monoxide alarm call in West Neck on July 14. The premises were safe; the alarm may have been set off by a 25-year-old alarm that needed to be replaced.
Animal incidents
The animal control officer (ACO) conducted patrols on Crescent and Wades beaches, looking for dogs on and off the leash, on July 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. There were three warnings and one ticket.
Dogs at large were reported in Tarkettle and the Center; the ACO found the dogs and returned them to their owners. A dog at large in the Heights was gone when police arrived as were dogs reported in Shorewood and the Center.
A caller reported a barking dog in Silver Beach; an officer helped get the dog back into its residence and the owner was given a verbal warning about the barking.
An ACO fed and watered two dogs whose Hay Beach owner was in the hospital, but advised the person who had called in and the family that other arrangements would need to be made.
A sick raccoon in Silver Beach was transported by the ACO to a vet for humane euthanasia. Another sick raccoon, also in Silver Beach, was put down by police. A caller reported a third raccoon in the Center, but the ACO searched the area without result.
A crow unable to fly was also taken to a vet by the ACO. A squirrel was reported inside a Heights residence. It was gone when the ACO arrived.
Aided cases
Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services teams responded to 14 calls during the week. Eleven people were transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital on July 13, 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19. Two other cases refused transport and one person refused medical attention.
