WESTFIELD
Emergency Response and Crime Report
Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014
12:09 a.m.: suspicious person, Caitlin Way, a caller reports he heard two male parties arguing outside and looked out to see one damage his mailbox, the responding officer reports he found two damaged mailboxes and subsequently saw a pedestrian carrying a hatchet who concealed it behind a tree when he saw the cruiser, the officer spoke with the man who said that he was upset and was carrying the hatchet to vent his frustrations by chopping down a tree, when asked if he had used the hatchet to damage the mailboxes the man said that he had damaged the mailboxes by kicking them, the caller said that the man is a family friend and he does not wish to pursue criminal charges if the man makes restitution, the officer reports charges are held in abeyance pending his conversation with the other victim;
6:40 a.m.: motor vehicle violation, North Elm Street, a patrol officer reports he used his speedometer to clock a vehicle operating on North Elm Street and found it to be traveling at 45 mph, the vehicle was stopped and the operator verbally identified himself, the officer reports that the picture associated with the name he provided did not resemble the operator who insisted that he was who he claimed to be despite the fact that he was wearing a sweatshirt with a different name on it, the officer found that a picture of a brother of the named man appeared to match the operator and that person was not licensed, William L. Sanchez, 45, of 10 King Ave, was arrested for unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and for being a motor vehicle operator who refuses to identify himself, when his property was inventoried he was found to be in possession of a quantity of white powder which field tested positive for cocaine and he was also charged with possession of a Class B drug;
9:25 a.m.: vandalism, Reservoir Avenue, a caller reports her home was struck by paintballs, the responding officer reports the resident showed him that a vehicle had also been struck overnight by the paintballs in an incident to similar to incidents which had been reported earlier on Montgomery Street and Pochassic Road, two similar incidents were subsequently reported at 2:38 p.m. and 3:18 p.m., again on Montgomery Street;
10:22 a.m.: fire, Pochassic Road, a caller reports seeing a plume of smoke blowing across the river apparently from the area of Tekoa Country Club, the responding fire captain reports that country club personnel are burning a large pile of brush and the fire is properly monitored;
11:41 a.m.: larceny, Russell Road, a resident came to the station to report money had been withdrawn from her bank account from Florida, the responding officer reports the complainant said that about $200 was fraudulently removed from her account, the account was closed and the bank credited the victim for the fraudulent transaction;
5:43 p.m.: officer wanted, Powdermill Village, 126 Union St., a caller requests an officer because she rented a couch and found pills and a hypodermic syringe under the cushions which the renting agency suggests she simply discard, the responding officer reports the caller was not satisfied with the store’s response and was advised that her complaint would have to be resolved in civil court;
7:47 p.m.: breaking and entering, Elm Street, a caller reports he has detained a burglar at his business, see story in the Wednesday edition of The Westfield News;
10:37 p.m.: liquor law violation, Broad Street, officers report they encountered a male party walking on Broad Street who said that he was 19-years-old and when asked if he was in possession of alcohol produced 19 cans of beer from his backpack, a city ordinance violation citation was issued;
11:25 p.m.: liquor law violation, Mechanic Street, officers working an alcohol enforcement detail report they encountered a male party walking in the Mechanic Street area who was carrying a plastic cup, the officers report that when asked the young man said that the cup contained “jungle juice”, a mixture of fruit juice and alcohol, the youth said that he was 19-years-old and a city ordinance violation citation was issued;
Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014
12:15 a. m.: liquor law violation, Meadow Street, officers report they encountered a male party on Meadow Street who was seen holding a can of beer and said that he was 19-years-old, the youth produced a can of beer from his backpack, a city ordinance violation citation was issued;
2:35 a.m.: assist other police department, Westfield State University, 577 Western Ave., WSU police request the use of a cell for a person under arrest for domestic assault and battery, a cell monitor was provided;
2:46 a.m.: assist other police department, General Knox Road, Russell, a caller reports being in a vehicle which struck a tree and is burning, dual response dispatched, the responding officer reports the crash is across the Russell line and both occupants have exited the car safely, State Police were notified, the firefighters report the fire was extinguished, the officer reports he provided two male parties a courtesy transport to Westfield State University;
9:51 a.m.: vandalism, Elm Street, a caller reports gang graffiti has been applied to the side of the building which houses her business, the responding officer documented what appear to be elaborate initials which had been spray painted on the side of the building;
12:50 p.m.: fire, Little River Road, a caller reports a chimney fire across the street from his home, the responding firefighters report when they arrived the resident was successfully attempting to put out the fire with a garden hose he had directed down his chimney;
2:39 p.m.: motor vehicle violation, Elm Street at Arnold Street, a patrol officer reports he observed a vehicle operating with an invalid inspection sticker and stopped the car, the operator’s license was found to have been revoked, Michael J. Banach, 44, of 285 Valley View Drive, was arrested for operating a motor vehicle with a revoked license;
11:41 p.m.: animal complaint, Landsdowne Place, 38 Thomas St., a caller reports she pulled her vehicle under an awning and saw a cat run under the car apparently seeking the relative warmth, the responding officer reports taking custody of the cat which was kept at the station overnight pending collection by the animal control officer.
