Chautauqua County fire rescue personnel busy with fatal Thruway crash, and Chautauqua Lake water rescue this morning...
One person has been killed after the truck they were driving crashed into a bridge abutment on the state Thursday in the town of Westfield. The Chautauqua County Fire dispatch center says the person was driving a Penske truck westbound when the vehicle struck the barrier shortly before 10 a.m. No other information is available.
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Earlier this morning... county and other fire rescuers were called to a boat capsizing on Chautauqua Lake near Mayville. Fire dispatchers say the incident occured about 9:15 a.m., and, four people in the vessel were thrown into the water. They were rescued by Mayville firefighters, and the Sheriff's Department's Navigation Team. They were initially taken to Mayville Park for treatment of hypothermia, and later taken to Westfield Memorial Hospital for treatment there.
Buffalo man indicted by federal Grand Jury as another accomplice in drug trafficking ring led by Joseph Zaso...
A Buffalo man allegedly involved in a major drug conspiracy in the Jamestown-area has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Buffalo. U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo has announced the secret panel returned an indictment charging 46 year-old Jason Talley with narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. Prosecutors say that the indictment states that between 2018, and late May of 2022... Talley conspired with Joseph Zaso and others, to sell heroin and fentanyl in the Jamestown area. Co-defendants include Andres Pizzaro Campos, Joseph Thayer, Max Pizzaro Campos, Cindy Frank, Edward Leeper, and Jaquez Thomas. Joseph Zaso was previously charged and convicted and is awaiting sentencing. DiGiacomo says Talley was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Roemer and detained.
Jamestown man who tried to kill librarian in Mayville in 2022 convicted by County Court Jury...
A Chautauqua County court jury has found a Jamestown man guilty of four felony counts stemming from attacks on a librarian in Mayville... as well as a corrections officer, and a chaplain at the County Jail. Chautauqua County District Attorney Jason Schmidt says 23-year-old Xavier Guadarrama was convicted Wednesday of second-degree attempted murder and second-degree assault in connection with the incident at the Mayville Library. Schmidt says the Sheriff's Office investigated a report of a "horrific, unprovoked" attack in August 2022... and, says Guadarrama waited until the woman was alone... and, then attacked her with a steak knife. Schmidt says Guadarrama traveled by bus from Jamestown to Mayville to carry out the attack. The librarian suffered a stab wound to the arm. Guadarrama was also found guilty of two counts of second-degree attempted assault. Schmidt says those charges stemmed from the attack that occurred while he was being held in the jail... and, attacked a jail chaplain and corrections officer. Guadarrama's conviction came after a two-week trial. Schmidt says Guadarrama faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in state prison and five years post-release supervision on the attempted murder charge.
Panama man arrested for drunk driving with child under the age of 16 in the car...
A Panama man has been arrested for allegedly driving drunk with a 12 year-old child inside the car during a traffic stop on Jamestown's westside early Thursday morning. City police say they stopped the car... driven by 40 year-old Jose Vincente-Vincente shortly after 1 a.m. Officers say they found Vincente was driving while intoxicated... and, that the child was a passenger in the car with him. He was arrested for Aggravated DWI -- a Leandra's Law violation... DWI... failure to signal when changing lanes... failure to signal properly... moving from lane unsafely... and, endangering the welfare of a child. Vincente was jailed pending arraignment.
Reynolds says loss of federal CDBG and HOME Program funding, along with staffing cuts, would be a major blow to city efforts to improve housing...
The chairman of the Jamestown City Council's Housing committee is expressing concern over President Donald Trump's budget proposal to eliminate funding for key housing and community programs. During this week's Council Work Session... Chairman Bill Reynolds said that... between the Community Development Block Grant and HOME Programs... the city receives between $1.5-million and $1.7-million for low to moderate income projects... and, to fight blight in the city. Reynolds adds that there are also major cuts proposed to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development He says projections are that 80% of the HUD workforce nationwide will be fired, and upstate NY staffing will go from 200 to just 6. Reynolds adds that the city administration and the Department of Development is working on a letter writting campaign to get those funds restored. He says Development Director Crystal Surdyk's office is working up a template for that letter.
City man arrested on warrant also found to be dealing drugs...
A man from Jamestown has been arrested for allegedly selling illegal drugs after he was arrested on a complaint of a disorderly man on the city's eastside Wednesday morning. Jamestown police say they were called to the scene about 7:15 a.m., and, learned that 46 year-old Victor Melendez was sought on an outstanding City Court Bench Warrant. Officers say Melendez was taken into custody after a brief standoff... and, during the investigation, he was found in possession of a small quantity of narcotics, as well as items and equipment often used for the distribution or sale of drugs. In addition to the warrant... he was charged with two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance... second-degree obstructing governmental administration... and, second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia. Melendez was jailed pending arraignment.
