Severe Weather produces possible funnel cloud sighting in northern Chautauqua County, lightning and hail...
A number of severe thunderstrom cells -- and possibly a tornado in northern Chautauqua County -- roared through the Jamestown-area late Friday afternoon. There was a report from a resident along the Lake Erie shoreline of a possible funnel cloud in the Brocton-area about 5 p.m. while that part of the county was under a Tornado Warning. However... the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Department reports nothing touched down between 4:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. when the warning was in effect. Dispatchers say there was a brief power outage in Westfield. There was a lot of wind in some areas... and severe lightning... but, little if any damage. There were reports in and around Jamestown of pea to dime-sized hail. Dispatchers also reported the heavy rain washed-out part of Brownell Road between Enink and Raybergen Roads about 9 p.m.
Seven arrested as part of two drug raids in Jamestown Friday morning...
Seven people were arrested Friday morning during a pair of drug raids on the city's northside. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says JPD Investigators... and, members of the State Police C-NET Team... capped a several month-long investigation into the illegal trafficking of "crack" cocaine from a pair of apartments Friday at 916 No. Main St. Samuelson says the raids began at 9:15 a.m., and, they were looking for two people... 51 year-old Cleophis Harris... and, 54 year-old Fattah Rahim in particular. He says the two men rented the apartments to deal drugs from. Samuelson says they also found several items that had been reported stolen, including a lap-top computer and flat-screen TV. He says investigators found a quantity of "crack..." prescription pills... and, a quantity of cash inside the apartments. He adds they also determined that other criminal activity was taking place at the apartments... and recovered a number of stolen items... including a lap-top computer. Samuelson says all face a least one charge of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. In addition to Harris... and, Rahim... police also arrested 49 year-old Anthony Woods... 34 year-old Allison Turner... and, 32 year-old Sue Ann Gifford of Jamestown. They also took 35 year-old Dwight Logan and 34 year-old Chantelle Logan of Buffalo into custody. An 18 year-old from Elmira sought on several warrants there was returned to Elmira.
Eight arrested in Dunkirk during two drug raids there, and fight on Deer Street...
Eight people from Dunkirk are jailed on various drug-related charges after undercover drug agents and police raided two homes in the north county city Thursday night. Dunkirk police add one person was also arrested after they investigated a fight in the 600-block of Deer Street. Members of the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force executed search warrants... the first at 107 South Beaver St. just after 6:30 p.m. The second took place about 8:15 p.m. at 114 South Gazelle St. Task Force agents say they found a quantity of "crack" cocaine... powder cocaine... a 12-gauge shotgun... and, several "edged weapons at 107 South Beaver. Three people... 51 year-old Monserrate Silva, Jr.... 18 year-old Alvin Jusino... and, 24 year-old Angel Garcia were arrested. Arrested at the Gazelle Street location were 57 year-old Joseph Szach.. 20 year-old Monserrate Silva III... 39 year-old Ramon Santiago... and 47 year-old William Green. Task Force agents were called to the scene of the fight about 9:30 p.m. They found 17 year-old Zachary Plumley was among the combatants. He was arrested on a county Grand Jury warrant for alleged drug possession and sale. Task Force... and police officials credited the public with providing them with a "large amount" of information over the five-month investigation into the eight defendants.
Foul play ruled out in unattended death in Jamestown Thursday...
There was apparently no foul play involved in the death of a Jamestown woman whose body was found inside her Bush Street home Thursday afternoon. City Police Captain Bob Samuelson says officers were called to the scene at 11 Bush about 2:30 p.m. after the unidentified woman was reported missing earlier in the day. Samuelson says she had not actually been seen since earlier in week. He says her body was found a short time after the missing person's call. Samuelson says they initially called the death suspicious because of where the body was found inside the home... but, declined to give further details. He says the woman's body was further examined at WCA Hospital under the guidance of County Coroner John Sixbey. Samuelson says Sixbey determined there was no criminal activity... nor foul play involved... and, the case has been closed. He would only say the woman was a 52 year-old white female. There will be no autopsy. The county's Forensic Investigation Team... and, District Attorney David Foley were also called to the scene.
