Shelter Island Police Department blotter: Oct. 20, 2021

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 In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.

Accidents

Jerilyn B. Woodhouse of Orient was driving north on Cedar Avenue on Oct. 14 when she hit a vehicle, owned by William J. Cummings of Shelter Island, which was parked partially on the roadway with its tailgate down. Ms. Woodhouse stated she was unable to see the tailgate because there was no lighting on Cedar Avenue at 7:15 p.m. There were no injuries but damage exceeded $1,000.

Walter J. Ogar was traveling west on Jaspa Road on Oct. 15 when he hit a parked vehicle belonging to Green Garden Lawn Care of East Hampton and driven by Jose A. Camacho Quiroz. Mr. Ogar said he didn’t see the parked vehicle due to shadows cast by trees in the wooded area near the road. A witness observed that Mr. Ogar did not attempt to brake prior to the collision and was traveling at a slow speed. There was damage over $1,000 to the right front of Mr. Ogar’s vehicle and the left rear of the lawn care’s pickup truck.

Mr. Camacho Quiroz was issued a ticket for stopping/standing/parking his vehicle on the roadway. Mr. Ogar complained of possible injuries and pain in his neck and was transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital by an Emergency Medical Services team.

Also on the 15th, Eric J. Koszalka of Shelter Island was driving east on Grand Avenue when he hit a parked vehicle, occupied by Lily M. Hoffman of New York City, who had the door open to traffic. Damage to both vehicles was over $1,000 — the right rear of Mr. Koszalka’s vehicle and the driver’s-side panel of Ms. Hoffman’s car.

No injuries were reported but Mr. Koszalka was issued a summons for driving an unregistered vehicle.

Seventeen distracted driving, radar enforcement and traffic stops were conducted in the Center, West Neck and Menantic from Oct. 12 through 16 and on Oct. 18, resulting in nine warnings.

Other reports

A caller told police on Oct. 12 that a barge and several floats occupied two moorings in front of her Silver Beach residence. She said such commercial-type equipment should be moored in less residential areas. A bay constable informed the caller that the equipment was moored legally and that her concerns regarding the placement and permitting of moorings should be addressed to the town’s Waterways Management Advisory Committee.

A complainant reported on the 12th that a person had parked her boat and trailer on a public roadway, restricting emergency access. An officer responded and found the roadway was privately owned and was not limiting access to emergency vehicles. The caller was advised that the police had no legal basis to ticket or order the trailer to be removed.

On Oct. 13, a caller requested a jump start for her vehicle in the Center. Police were unable to do so, given the position of the parked vehicle, and advised the caller to contact emergency roadside assistance.

An officer responded to a Hay Beach caller on the 13th who said her water softener system was “beeping’ in the basement. The officer reset the system and advised the owner to contact a plumber.

On Oct. 15, a West Neck resident complained that speeding on West Neck Road was creating hazardous conditions. Police headquarters agreed to provide speed enforcement patrols as well as the speed trailer.

Also on the 15th, an out-of-state caller reported a scam involving a local PO Box. She was advised to report the situation to her local police department.

A water leak was reported in West Neck on the 15th. An officer located the leak near a “buried water pipe” flag and contacted Suffolk County Water Authority to respond and assess the problem. The flow of water was not substantial and was near a drain.

A caller informed police that a woman was in a Center store after having been advised in 2020 not to enter the property again. At that time a charge of criminal trespass was not pursued. As of the 15th, an affidavit of criminal trespass was signed and the suspect so advised.

On Oct. 16, police updated the New York State Sex Offender Registry to reflect the new address of a person who has moved back to the Island.

A caller told police on Oct. 17 that while attempting to make a three-point turn in West Neck, he ran his box truck over a cobblestone driveway edging and was stuck on a sloped embankment. The responding officer did not see any damage to the driveway or the vehicle; Rapid Recovery was contacted.

Police received a call about smoke in the area of Bateman Road. No smoke was located and the report was said to be unfounded. Also on the 17th, police were alerted to a social media post that was possibly harassing and in another incident initiated an investigation of a possible contempt of a court order.

In other reports, police taught DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) classes to 5th graders; responded to four lost and found reports; conducted a well-being check; unlocked a vehicle with the keys inside; attended court duty; checked on a missing person report; and investigated a false 911 call.

Alarms

A residential alarm in Mashomack was set off on Oct. 13 and again on Oct. 15. In both cases the residence was secure and there were no signs of any criminal activity. The owner had reported problems with the system.

A carbon monoxide alarm in Menantic was activated on Oct. 13; the Shelter Island Fire Department (SIFD) responded and said it was a false alarm, caused by a faulty detector.

An audible alarm was heard in West Neck on Oct. 15, set off by a back patio’s door ajar. The residence was searched and found secure.

A Ram Island homeowner was advised to contact the security company when a residential alarm was activated on Oct. 16. There was no sign of any forced entry.

The SIFD confirmed on Oct. 17 that a smoke alarm in the Center was a false alarm.

Animal reports

An injured deer was reported in the Center; the area was searched with negative results.

A Center caller said dogs belonging to another owner regularly wandered onto the caller’s property. An animal control officer spoke to the owner about keeping her dogs on her own property.

Police contacted the owner of a dog at large in the Center. The dog was subsequently retrieved. It had escaped through a back door as it was closing.

An ACO responded to a call about a sick raccoon in Hay Beach and found a healthy raccoon instead; it was relocated. An ACO searched unsuccessfully for two sick raccoons reported in the Heights. A fourth sick raccoon was caught by an ACO and taken to a vet for euthanasia.

An ACO captured a sick cat in Dering Harbor and located the owner, who was advised the cat needed immediate medical attention.

Aided cases

Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services teams transported two people to Southampton Hospital on Oct. 12 and 17 and two to Eastern Long Island Hospital on Oct. 12 and 14.