Shelter Island Police Department blotter: Aug. 20, 2026

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 In court, the charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn or the defendants may be found not guilty.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

On Aug. 16, at 7:54 a.m., John P. O’Connell, 31, of Boston, Mass. was observed operating a motor vehicle on the wrong side of the median, traveling southbound in the northbound lane of North Ferry Road, then failing to keep right within the traffic circle at North Ferry Road and School Street. A traffic stop led to a DWI investigation, where the operator exhibited multiple indicators consistent with intoxication. The defendant was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated, transported to police headquarters for processing, and later released on a desk appearance ticket, directing him to appear before the Shelter Island Justice Court on a later date.

TRAFFIC SUMMONSES

On Aug. 7, John Makucewicz of Mattituck was ticketed for not wearing a seat belt while driving on Grand Avenue.

Jacob F. Levy of Los Altos, Calif. was ticketed on Aug. 8 on South Ferry Road for not wearing a seat belt while driving and having a passenger in the front seat less than four years old not properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat.

Rory C. Klinge of Greenport received a summons on Aug. 12 for inadequate or no stop lamps on Grand Avenue. 

Venetia Satow of Sag Harbor was ticketed on Aug. 13 for failure to keep right on West Neck Road.

38 parking tickets were issued last week.

MARINE SUMMONSES

Louis E. Sheinker of Shelter Island received a summons on Aug. 8 for imprudent speed in West Neck Creek.

A summons was issued to L. J. Kelroy of Northport on Aug. 8 for having a child under 12 on a vessel underway in Coecles Harbor without a personal flotation device. 

Vivero Cano of Miami, Fla. was ticketed on Aug. 9 in the South Ferry channel for imprudent speed.

MARINE INCIDENTS

A Shelter Island Marine Unit escorted the U.S. Coast Guard ship Eagle into Greenport’s Mitchell Marina, at the request of Southold Town Police’s Marine Unit, on Aug. 7. Marine units attempted to confirm current registration for two vessels but were unable to confirm due to an internet portal being down on Aug. 8. An Environmental Conservation Law check was conducted on Reel Point on Aug. 9; 12 people were fishing. A vessel operator towing a water skier through a congested channel entrance to Menantic Creek was given a warning on Aug. 9. The operator of a wake boat speeding on Aug. 9 was warned that the limit in West Neck Creek is 5 mph.

Marine training was conducted on Aug. 10. A Jet ski operating at a high rate of speed in West Neck Bay on Aug. 10 was checked for required equipment and paperwork, and the operator advised of relevant Town Code laws. 

ACCIDENTS

While disembarking the North Ferry on July 28, a tire of a pickup truck driven by Michael C. Sirico of Southold brushed against a the door of a Porsche convertible driven by Daniel L. Gross of Concord, Mass., causing damage exceeding $1,000.

On Aug. 4, Loretta F. Fanelli of Shelter Island was attempting to exit a driveway to head north onto South Ferry Road, when her car crashed into the rear left side of a van driven by Donald W. Entress of East Patchogue that was entering the driveway. Damage exceeded $1,000. 

Lucy Browne of Shelter Island told police on Aug. 9 her vehicle was struck by a deer that ran onto Brander Parkway while she was traveling northwest. Damage exceeded $1,000.

OTHER REPORTS 

Shelter Island Police assisted Suffolk County Police in contacting an individual on Ram Island on Aug. 7, picking up an elderly family member whose vehicle had broken down within their jurisdiction.

When a driver left the North Ferry without paying on Aug. 7, an officer located the vehicle on Grand Avenue and escorted it back to pay the fare. Two drivers who failed to pay the fare were located by police and returned to pay after securing funds from an ATM.

A domestic dispute was reported in the Heights on Aug. 7. The operator of an unregistered, uninsured electric mini-bike on School Street was stopped on Aug. 7 and given verbal warnings for numerous violations. The operator was advised if he is stopped on a roadway again the vehicle will be impounded. He walked it back to his residence.

On Aug. 8 at 2:30 a.m., police responded to a report of an unknown person lying in a bed at a Dering Harbor residence.

A man reported yelling at an employee to shut down the music in the ice cream truck and impeding access by standing in front of the vehicle, was gone when police arrived on Aug. 8. 

In other reports: officers provided lift assists; assisted in handling traffic for community events; responded to noise complaints; performed court duty; responded to accidental 911 calls; and provided traffic control around downed trees.

ANIMAL INCIDENTS

An animal reported distressed in Westmoreland on Aug. 7 was found by the Animal Control Officer to be a healthy groundhog living under a deck. On Aug. 8 a complainant reported suffering a dog bite while delivering food to a Center location. A rabbit in a Cartwright pool was rescued by the ACO on Aug. 8. An injured cooper’s hawk and box turtle were euthanized on Aug. 9. A complaint about an aggressive dog was documented on Aug. 10.

ALARMS

A fire in a Ram Island residence was extinguished on Aug. 13 by the Shelter Island Fire Department. Two residents had safely evacuated and were evaluated for smoke inhalation by Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services personnel; medical assistance was declined.

A fire alarm was activated in West Neck on Aug. 7. SIFD responded and determined it was a false alarm caused by a malfunction. SIFD responded to a smoke alarm in Hay Beach on Aug. 7; the owner reported that he was cooking food. Chief Max Pelletier reported it as a false alarm. A fire alarm was triggered in the Heights by shower steam on Aug. 8. SIFD determined it was a false alarm. SIFD responded to a complaint of a propane odor in the basement of a Center residence on Aug. 8 and determined it was coming from the water heater. Police responded to a motion alarm at the pharmacy on Aug. 9; an employee reported it was accidental. 

A fire alarm in a hotel room in the Heights at 9:18 a.m. Aug. 9 was triggered by shower steam; SIFD determined it was a false alarm. At 9:41 a.m., a second alarm was activated in the same room. Chief Max Pelletier evacuated the entire building and directed SIFD personnel to check every room before allowing anyone to re-enter the building. The chief then determined that the alarm was false and was caused by a faulty smoke detector in the room, which was vacant at the time of the second alarm and not caused by steam. There was a third activation at 10:18 a.m. and the process of confirmation was repeated. 

A smoke alarm was activated by shower steam in Westmoreland on the 9th; Chief Pelletier determined a false alarm. Another alarm on Ram Island that day was confirmed by SIFD to be caused by cooking. A malfunction caused a smoke alarm activation in Hay Beach on the 10th; SIFD confirmed.

A dock was reported on fire on Aug. 10 in West Neck. Police and SIFD responded, finding a piling and planks actively burning. SIFD extinguished the fire and 2nd Assistant Chief P.J. Lechmanski notified the building inspector.

AIDED CASES

Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services and Stony Brook Paramedic responded to aided cases on Aug. 7, 8, 9, and 13. Three persons were transported to Eastern Long Island Hospital for further treatment. One person was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment.