Same section of road where two fatal accidents took place in last 12 months
SLINGERLANDS – Another head-on crash on Route 85 took place just northeast of Blessing Road on Sunday, May 26 and two people were charged with DWI, one involved in the crash and another was a witness to it.
According to police and accident reports, at approximately 9:49 p.m., Lendell Moore, 27, of Slingerlands, was driving west (from Albany) on Route 85 when his gray 2008 Chevy Malibu crossed the double yellow lines into oncoming traffic.
A second car was hit head on and caught on fire. The occupants of that vehicle were not injured. Moore sustained cuts and had bleeding from the crash, reports said.
When officers arrived, EMS personnel had him in an ambulance and attached to a stretcher. Officers interviewed Moore and observed him to have glassy and bloodshot eyes and had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. He said he was coming from a friend’s house in Troy.
Field sobriety tests indicated impairment and Moore did test positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device. He submitted to a blood draw at Albany Medical Center Hospital to determine alcohol levels while he was being treated for his injuries.
Moore was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and released with an appearance ticket.
Also at the scene, officers interviewed a witness to the crash who was following Moore. Freddie Perelez, 28, of Albany. Perelez said that he stopped because he knew Moore. According to reports, he was driving from a barbeque in Troy and going to a party in Slingerlands.
While speaking with Perelez, officers observed that he had slurred speech, bloodshot and glassy eyes and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
He was given and failed field sobriety tests, tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device and was taken into custody.
At the police station, Perelez provided a breath sample that returned at .11 percent BAC. He was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, given an appearance ticket and released.
Both men are scheduled to return to Bethlehem Town Court on June 4.
Slingerlands and North Bethlehem Fire Departments, Albany County Paramedics and Delmar Bethlehem EMS crews responded to the crash.
On May 1, about 1 mile east of this crash, Matthew Monthie, 28, of Clifton Park, crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a car driven by Shawna Marzahl, 53, of Selkirk. Marzahl died in the crash and Monthie was severely injured. Monthie was traveling at a high rate of speed, according to witnesses. The investigation is ongoing in that case and charges are expected.
On May 11, 2023, Thomas McGrath, 72, of Slingerlands, crossed the centerline in the same area and collided with Michael Kleinke, 17, of Colonie. Kleinke died at the hospital in that crash. McGrath was indicted last week for aggravated vehicular homicide, manslaughter and felony DWAI – Drugs and other charges.
Domestic incident leads to charges
GLENMONT – On Wednesday, May 22, 2024 the Bethlehem Police Department arrested Christopher Waters, 34, of Albany, on charges stemming from a domestic incident that occurred a day earlier at a Selkirk address.
According to police, Waters was involved in a domestic incident on March 21, 2024 in Selkirk and had fled the scene prior to officers arriving. A short time later, an officer located Waters’s vehicle at a Glenmont apartment complex. Waters was arrested and a .22 caliber pistol and a container allegedly containing cocaine were found in the area near Waters.
An investigation by Bethlehem police detectives tied the pistol and the cocaine to Waters.
He was has charged with criminal possession of a weapon- third degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance – fifth degree, tampering with physical evidence and criminal possession of a firearm, all felonies.
Waters was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and sent to the Albany County jail. He is scheduled to return to court on June 4.
Aggravated DWI on Delaware Avenue
DELMAR – A 28-year-old Delmar woman was driving with a flat tire on Delaware Avenue on Friday, May 24 as it passed a Bethlehem police patrol going in the other direction.
According to reports, at approximately 2:24 a.m., the officer turned around and followed the gray 2008 Kia to a driveway on the street and made contact with the driver.
The woman allegedly kicked open the driver’s door and exited the vehicle, which now only had a rim left on the flat tire. She explained that she was aware the tire was flat when she left a local bar.
The officer observed signs of intoxication. The woman was given and failed field sobriety tests, tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device and taken into custody.
At the police station, she provided a breath sample that returned a .19 percent BAC.
The woman was charged with aggravated DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for unsafe tires.
She was given a bill of particulars and an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court on June 4 and released.
Burglary with child in stroller
GLENMONT – Bethlehem police responded to the Walmart on Route 9W for a report of a larceny in progress on Sunday, May 26.
According to reports, on the way to the call, officers were informed that the subject in question was pushing a baby stroller and a cart of stolen goods. When officers arrived, they located 42-year-old Robert Pagan of Albany in the parking lot of Lowes. Pagan’s son was in a car seat in the shopping cart.
Pagan was detained and $319.86 worth of merchandise recovered. Walmart loss prevention employees said they did want to press charges.
A check showed that Pagan had outstanding warrants from multiple municipalities and he also had two smoking devices and a hypodermic needle on his person.
After finding a proper seat for the child, Pagan and the child were transported to the police station.
Pagan was previously trespassed from Walmart in August and was charged with burglary, a felony, and petit larceny and acting in a manner to injure a child, both misdemeanors.
Because Pagan has two prior felony convictions, State law requires a person charged with another felony be held without bail until a preliminary hearing.
He was arraigned by town Judge Andrew Kirby and sent to the Albany County jail until a hearing on Tuesday, May 28.
As mandated reporters, police also contacted Albany County Child Protective Services.
No reg and DWI
DELMAR – On Sunday, May 26 at approximately 1:10 a.m., Bethlehem police observed a white 2013 Hyundai pull out from a local restaurant without stopping.
According to reports, the driver did not signal before entering the roadway and also was driving with an expired registration. The officer performed a traffic stop just before the City line on Delaware avenue and interviewed the driver, a 42-year-old Albany man.
The officer observed the man to have bloodshot and watery eyes and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
The man was given and failed field sobriety tests, tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device and taken into custody.
At the police station, he provided a breath sample that returned a .11 percent BAC.
He was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for traffic violations.
The man was given a bill of particulars and released with an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court on June 4.