Shelter Island Police Department blotter: July 11, 2023
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 In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.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
As the result of an earlier report of harassment in West Neck, Michael J. Bevilacqua, 42, of Shelter Island was arrested on July 6 at 11 a.m. after further police investigation. He was charged with harassment in the 2nd degree and issued an appearance ticket for a later date in Shelter Island Justice Court.
An investigation into a domestic dispute led to the arrest on July 5 at 11:11 p.m. of Joseph A. Bocci, 38, of Shelter Island. Mr. Bocci was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation and criminal mischief in the 4th degree. He was arraigned in Justice Court, released on an appearance ticket and directed to return to court at a later date. An order of protection was issued on behalf of the alleged victim.
On July 3, Edin Leonel Montenegro-Perez, 35, of Greenport was stopped by police at a routine traffic stop and ticketed for failure to keep to the right and for having less than two brake lights. He was subsequently arrested at 4:37 p.m. and charged with driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI. He was also charged with driving without a license.
Mr. Montenegro-Perez was held overnight and later arraigned in Justice Court where he was released on an appearance ticket and directed to return to court at a later date.
Summonses
Carlos M. Campos Campos, Greenport, was given two tickets on West Neck Road on July 1 for driving an unregistered vehicle and failure to cover a loose load.
Also on July 1, Miriam C. Rivera, Bellport, was ticketed on New York Avenue for speeding — 42 miles per hour in a 25-mph zone. On the 2nd, Robert R. Wieczorek, Greenport, was given a summons on Manwaring Road for making an improper or unsafe turn without a signal.
Officers made 30 radar enforcement and traffic stops on June 30, July 1 through 7 and July 9 in the Center, Menantic, West Neck, Cartwright, Silver Beach and Ram Island, resulting in 22 warnings and four tickets.
Bay constables had a busy week on the water, issuing seven town summonses on July 1, 3, 4, 8 and 9: David J. Berkman, Miami Beach, Fla. for an expired registration in Dering Harbor; Brian T. Schreiber, New York City, for failure to display registration stickers in Coecles Harbor; Christopher Gemanell, Sag Harbor, for towing persons without an observer off Crescent Beach; and George N. Sucich, Fort Salonga, N.Y., for traveling at an imprudent speed near the North Ferry slips.
Other summonses were issued to Ryan Mooie, Jupiter, Fla., for boating with a child under 12 not wearing a life vest; Helmer Barzallo, Patchogue, for keeping undersized fluke on Hiberry Lane; Kevin P. Wetherall, Hampton Bays, for failure to display registration numbers in West Neck Harbor; and Adam Zatecoff, Southold for boating too close to swimmers at Crescent Beach.
Twenty-two warnings were issued to boaters during the week: six for not displaying registration or validation stickers in Dering Harbor, West Neck and Coecles Harbor; bow riding in Dering Harbor; personal flotation devices required onboard paddleboards in West Neck; an overloaded boat in Coecles Harbor; eight boats outside anchorage areas in Coecles Harbor and Silver Beach; no running lights in West Neck Creek; imprudent speed in West Neck; and three boats operating too close to the swim area in Crescent Beach and West Neck.
Traffic control officers issued 106 parking tickets.
Accidents
Maeve Rose Browne, New York City, told police she was pulling into the garage at the Coecles Harbor Marina on Hudson Avenue on July 2 when she sideswiped the garage door, causing more than $1,000 damage to the passenger-side door of her vehicle.
Also on the 2nd, Eric J. Koszalka, Shelter Island, reported he was traveling east on West Neck Road when a deer ran out and hit his vehicle, causing over $1,000 in damage to the right front bumper and quarter panel.
Jenny Ann Zahler, Shelter Island, was backing out of a space on Grand Avenue on July 5 when she hit a parked vehicle belonging to William J. Caccese, Venice, Fla., causing more than $1,000 in damage to the front of Mr. Caccese’s vehicle.
On that day, Patrick Clifford, Shelter Island, was making a right turn out of a parking lot on North Ferry Road when he hit a parked vehicle belonging to Susan E. Hanley, Shelter Island. Damages to both vehicles exceeded $1,000.
Also on July 5, Susan Cecilia Cincotta told police she was backing out of her residence on North Midway Road when she hit a vehicle driven by Peter M. Swerdloff, New York City, causing over $1,000 in damages to the driver’s-side rear of Ms. Cincotta’s vehicle and the passenger-right side of Mr. Swerdloff’s vehicle.
On July 9, Robert V. Andrew, Shelter Island, was approaching the traffic circle at Bateman Road and School Street when he was unable to traverse the circle, left the roadway and hit a rock on American Legion property. An EMS team took Mr. Andrew to Eastern Long Island Hospital for medical attention.
In a preliminary report in last week’s blotter, Michael J. Tews, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was ticketed and cited for leaving the scene of an accident in a South Menantic Road parking lot. The vehicle he hit belonged to Michael J. Johnson, Shelter Island, which sustained damage to the driver’s-side rear of the vehicle.
Other reports
The animal control officer (ACO) conducted patrols of Wades and Crescent beaches on June 30, July 1 through 7 and July 9, issuing 16 warnings to dog owners. Environmental Conservation Law inspections were carried out in Hiberry, Reel Point and Bootlegger’s Alley on July 2, 3, 4 and 8; 30 people were fishing legally, one ticket was issued.
A rock from a Shelter Island Highway Department mower hit a truck on June 30 on West Neck Road, striking the rear passenger-side bed. The driver was referred to the SIHD for resolution. Loud music was reported anonymously at SALT Waterfront Bar and Grill. A waiver had been graded for a charitable event, scheduled to be over at 8 p.m. The caller was not satisfied with the explanation and said she would continue to call.
A neighbor was reported setting off bottle rockets in the Center on June 30. The area was canvassed with negative results.
A loud party in Menantic was advised on July 1 to turn down the music and refrain from yelling. An officer on patrol noticed a tent on Ram Island; the owner was advised about no camping on the beach. A smoldering campfire on a Ram Island Beach was put out with several buckets of water.
Police investigated a real estate scam on July 1. A disabled Boston Whaler was towed back to Greenport. A swimmer caught in a swift current in West Neck was assisted back to his boat, anchored off Crescent Beach.
An unknown man sleeping on a bench in the Heights on July 3 said he was fine and was just lying down; he left the area without incident. A caller complained that a vehicle parked too close to her vehicle in the Center made it impossible for her to move. Both drivers were assisted by police.
On the 3rd, police investigated a case of harassing behavior in Hay Beach. An anonymous caller said loud noise was coming from Ram Island; a man fishing with his family said they would lower their voices.
Loud music was reported at Sunset Beach on July 4. An officer found the noise unreasonable and advised an employee to lower the volume.
On July 5, police responded to a landlord/tenant dispute in the Center. Two operators of golf carts on Shore Road were told they needed proper registration and insurance to drive on public roads. A domestic dispute was reported in Hay Beach.
Police investigated a real estate scheme on July 6 for possible fraud. On the 7th, police looked into a complaint that cameras had been placed on a private property in Westmoreland without permission.
A caller complained that a person was causing a disturbance on a West Neck property on July 8. Police spoke to the individual who left without incident. The caller filed an affidavit of trespass.
Officers were assigned to a plainclothes enforcement detail July 8 for the annual fireworks at Crescent Beach. Police stopped approximately 12 people suspected of underage drinking; no summonses were issued.
In other incidents: there were three false 911 calls; 12 lost and found reports; one well-being check; two vehicles unlocked with the keys inside; traffic control at North Ferry; a lift assist; one vehicle jump started; and four disabled boats and vehicles assisted.
Alarms
The Shelter Island Fire Department responded to eight fire alarms during the holiday week — in Shorewood, Ram Island, West Neck, Westmoreland and the Center. Two were the result of alarms set off by burned cooking; two carbon monoxide alarms were caused by weak batteries and by exhaust from a vehicle in the garage. Three were declared false alarms and one activated by low batteries in the system.
Police answered four burglary alarms in the Center, Heights, Shorewood and Ram Island. A motion alarm was activated in a foyer but police found the residence was locked and secure. Another alarm was triggered accidentally and two passwords were entered incorrectly.
Animals
A dog at large was located in Tarkettle at the same time as the ACO and owner responded. A dog was barking unattended for 90 minutes in Hay Beach. The owner was not certain how the dog got out of the house. An “abandoned” dog was kept by the ACO until the owners returned to retrieve it.
A dog bite was belatedly reported in Tarkettle.
A rabbit was hit by a weedwacker and taken by the ACO to a wildlife rehabilitator.
An osprey, found in the middle of a Cartwright road, was captured and taken to a rehabilitator. Another osprey appeared to be in distress in Shorewood. The ACO noticed that the osprey had caught a large sea robin and had trouble lifting it until he ate some of it.
An injured raccoon was brought to the vet for euthanasia. Another raccoon was trapped on a roof deck in the Heights and was removed by the ACO. A groundhog attacked by a dog in Montclair was taken by the ACO to a vet for euthanasia. An injured bird in Menantic was captured by the ACO and taken to a rehabilitator. A bird trapped in a house was safely removed.
Aided cases
Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services teams transported six people to Eastern Long Island Hospital on June 30, July 2, 3, 5 and 6. Five people were taken to Southampton Hospital on July 1, 8 and 9. Two cases refused medical assistance.
