Fire leaves town of Busti home a total loss...
A town of Busti home is reportedly a total loss following an overnight fire that heavily-damaged the structure on Forest Ave. Ext. in the town. Chautauqua County Fire dispatchers say Busti fire crews were called to 1619 Forest about 11:15 p.m. Sunday... and, found the structure heavily-engulfed in flames. Mutual aid was called in from over a dozen local departments... mainly to truck water to the scene. Dispatchers says crews battled the blaze for several hours... with hot spots being doused until later morning. They add that Forest Avenue remained closed for several hours between South Avenue and Mitchell Road. No injuries were reported. The county's Fire Investigation Team was called to the scene to look for the cause.
North county man arrested for allegedly assaulting worker at UPMC Chautauqua...
A man from Dunkirk is accused of hitting and biting an employee at UPMC Chautauqua Hospital during an incident at the Jamestown hospital late last Friday night. City police were called to the scene at 207 Foote Ave. shortly after 11 p.m. Officers say they found that 23 year-old Armando Hernandez-Tirado had struck and bit the employee for an unknown reason. Police found Hernandez-Tirado a short time later inside the hospital, and he was arrested without incident. Officers charged him with second-degree assault... and, he was taken to the city jail pending arraignment.
City woman accused of assaulting two women at Wine Cellar...
A Jamestown woman has been arrested for allegedly punching two women in the face during a fight inside the bathroom at a northside bar early Saturday morning. City police were called to the Wine Cellar at 309 North Main St. just before 1 a.m. for a reported fight turned assault. Officers say 27 year-old Brianna Mercado punched both vicitims... multiple times... inside the bathroom. One of the victims had to be treated for an injury... while the other did not. Officers were able to locate and stop the vehicle that the Mercado fled in... and, she was taken into custody without incident. Mercado was charged with third-degree assault... and, second-degree harassment. She was jailed pending arraignment.
Langworthy introduces new Defense of Property Right's bill...
Chautauqua County's Congressional representative is taking up a renewed effort to protect property owners rights -- if New York state seizes their land to prevent natural gas development. Buffalo-area Republican Nick Langworthy introduced the new Defense of Property Right's Act in December, and says it's gaining a lot of support early in the new Congress. The measure was first introduced by retired Congressman Tom Reed in 2017... and, says several property owners in the region who had lease arrangements with natural gas companies were waiting for approval to go ahead with exploration when the state changed the rules. Langworthy says he and others argue -- including fellow New York Republican Claudia Tenney -- that that violates the Fifth-Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. He says the measure would establish "a more uniform and efficient federal process for protecting a property owners rights." Langworthy says the property owners should have the ability to weigh-in on such decisions. He argued that former Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state exceeded their authority by prevented those landowners from being able to lease their land for natural gas exploration. The first term Republican says the measure will be on the docket for the House Judiciary Committee.
CVS Pharmacy employee accused of stealing 120 Hydrocodone pills...
An employee at the CVS Pharmacy in Jamestown's Brooklyn Square has been arrested for allegedly stealing dozens of hydrocodone pills from the store last weekend. City police were called to the location at 19 South Main St. shortly before 5 p.m., and, their investigation found that 28 year-old Jessa Sardina had stolen 120 of the pills. Officers arrested Sardina for petty larceny... and, she arraigned and issued an appearance ticket for city court.
City man faces DWI charge after his car hits house...
A Jamestown man is accused of Felony drunk driving after his car struck a house on the city's southside last week. Jamestown police were called to the scene shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday... and, found 57 year-old Carlos Pagan -- still in the driver's seat -- and the vehicle still running. Officers found that Pagan was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and he was taken into custody. Police also found that Pagan had been convicted of DWI three separate times in the past ten years. Pagan's driving privileges were also revoked due to the DWI convictions. He was charged with Felony Driving While Intoxicated... first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation... reckless driving and several other traffic violations. Pagan was jailed pending arraignment.
North county man arrested following DWI crash...
A Dunkirk man is accused of driving drunk after his speeding car crashed in the town of Pomfret late last week. Sheriff's deputies were called to the unidentified scene... and, found the crashed vehicle. Officers identified the driver as 27 year-old Sergio Bautista-Ramirez. Officers say a brief investigation found that Bautista-Ramirez was intoxicated... and, he was arrested for driving while intoxicated... speeding, and moving from lane unsafely. He was processed, and issued appearance tickets for Pomfret Town Court.
