Ayauna Scott charged in incidents at Macy’s, Nordstrom Rack
COLONIE — Colonie police traveled to Bergen County jail on Thursday, Aug. 29 to collect an Albany woman for five larcenies at Colonie Center stores in the past 11 months.
Ayauna Scott, 23, of Albany allegedly took merchandise from Macy’s and fought with the staff while doing so in October 2023. She was charged with robbery and grand larceny, both felonies, and petit larceny and criminal mischief, both misdemeanors, and harassment – physical contact, a violation.
She was at the store again on January 19 and robbed it again. For that incident, Scott was charged with robbery, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor.
Scott was back at Colonie Center on July 27 and July 30, but this time it was Nordstrom Rack. In those two incidents, she was charged with two separate counts of grand larceny-third degree, a felony.
On August 8, Scott returned to Macy’s and was charged with grand larceny – third degree, a felony, in that case.
Scott was arraigned on all 10 charges, but none are bail eligible and bail could not be set.
She was released.
Burglary
COLONIE — Albany police turned over a 56-year-old Troy man on Tuesday, Aug. 27 to Colonie police for an active arrest warrant for an incident at Northway Mall.
Bobby Whitaker is accused of stealing from a store at the plaza on July 16 that he was already trespassed from. He was charged with burglary, a felony, petit larceny, a misdemeanor, and trespass, a violation.
Whitaker was arraigned.
Grand larceny, conspiracy and warrant
COLONIE — Loss prevention employees at Lowes on Central Avenue observed at woman allegedly taking merchandise on Wednesday, Aug. 28 and called Colonie police.
According to reports, Jennifer Harrington, 52, of Schenectady, was taken into custody with $1,383.64 worth of goods. She was charged with Grand larceny, a felony, and conspiracy, a misdemeanor. She was also wanted by Albany police. Harrington was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and transported to meet Albany police.
Grand larceny
COLONIE — A Schenectady man turned himself in to Colonie police on Wednesday, Aug. 28 for a theft at Dairy Queen on Central Avenue.
According to reports, Jeffrey Valachovic, 44 was arrested and charged with grand larceny – third degree, for an incident that took place at the store on July 20.
He was arraigned.
Alleged arsonist arrested again on warrant
COLONIE — A homeless man who was charged with Arson in November and arrested on an outstanding warrant for not showing up for court in July has been arrested again on Thursday, Aug. 29 for not showing up for court.
In the two prior incidents, according to reports, Charles Sedgwick, 41, was released after arraignment because the arson charge and the warrants are not bail eligible.
For the most recent arrest, police contacted Colonie Judge David Green regarding Sedgwick and he told police to release Sedgwick with an appearance ticket for Wednesday, Sept. 11.
Officers found Sedgwick screaming when they arrived at the Schuyler Flatts Cultural Park on July 21 at 9:02 p.m . A check of his name showed that he had an outstanding warrant for not showing up for Colonie Town Court.
On Thursday, Nov. 30, Sedgwick was arrested after an arson investigation for a fire at Dawsons Body Works on Schuyler Lane on November 23.
At that time, Sedgwick was charged with arson – fourth degree, a felony, and criminal mischief, a misdemeanor and was released with an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on December 6. Felony arson-fourth degree is not bail eligible under State Law.
DWI
LATHAM — Colonie police responded to a property damage crash at 1093 Loudon Road on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 3:49 p.m. and found a 45-year-old Cohoes man was allegedly impaired by alcohol.
The man was transported to Albany Memorial Hospital from the scene. An investigation found that the vehicle did not have a valid registration and there were open containers of alcoholic beverages inside.
He was charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, refusing to take a breath test and operating an unregistered vehicle.
The man was given appearance tickets to Colonie Town Court on Monday, Sept. 9.
Drug bust at hotel
LATHAM — The Colonie police SWAT team descended upon the Colonie Inn and Suites on Loudon Road on Thursday, Aug. 29 after an investigation determined that there was substantial drug activity taking place there.
At 11:51 p.m., officers entered rooms at the hotel and took five people into custody without injuries.
Carl Goodson, 32, and Megan Couture, 27, are listed as residents of the hotel and the others were from other areas.
According to police, Goodson was charged with criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell, criminal possession of a narcotic drug and destroying evidence, all felonies, and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. He was alleged to have destroyed a cell phone during the raid.
Couture was charged with criminal sale of a narcotic drug, a felony.
Rebecca Miller, 26, of Ballston Lake, was charged with criminal possession of a narcotic drug with intent to sell, criminal possession of a narcotic drug and destroying evidence, all felonies, and loitering – unlawful use of a controlled substance and criminal use of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.
Nicholas Sapienza Jr., 35, of Ravena, was charged with criminal sale of a narcotic drug, a felony, and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors.
Goodson, Couture, Miller and Sapienza were processed and sent to the Albany County jail as pre-arraignment detainees. They were arraigned the next day.
Alexis Wagner, 35, of Clifton Park was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor. She was released with an appearance ticket.
DWI and reckless
endangerment
COLONIE — A 66-year-old man who lives at the Sanderson Court Senior Apartments was stopped near the complex by Colonie police and accused of driving while intoxicated.
According to reports, at 6:40 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 30, the man refused to submit to a breath test and had open containers of alcohol in the vehicle. He was also charged with reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor, in a separate arrest at the same time.
He was taken into custody and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for refusing to take a breath test and drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle.
The man was given appearance tickets for both incidents for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Sept. 9.
DWI
COLONIE — Colonie police stopped a vehicle on Lapham Drive in the Village of Colonie on Saturday, Aug. 31 and determined the driver was allegedly drunk.
According to reports, at 1:11 a.m. police took a 43-year-old Newburgh man who was driving, into custody and charged him with DWI, a misdemeanor.
He was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Sept. 16.
No license, aggravated DWI
LATHAM – On Sunday, Sept. 1 at 12:58 a.m., Colonie police stopped a vehicle for speeding near the intersection of Hastings Drive and Watervliet Shaker Road.
Upon interviewing the driver, a 26-year-old Latham woman, she showed signs of intoxication. She was given and failed field sobriety tests. The woman also did not have a valid driver’s license. She was taken into custody and charged with aggravated DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation, both misdemeanors, and ticketed for speeding.
The woman was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Sept. 16.
Theft, chase, crash
LATHAM — An Albany man was taken into custody after a car chase and crash on Troy Schenectady Road on Monday, Sept. 2.
According to reports, Colonie police attempted to stop the vehicle and it eventually crashed near the intersection of Park Avenue.
The driver, Terrence Parker, 32, fled the vehicle after the crash at 12:28 a.m. but was caught soon after. He was injured in the crash and was taken to Albany Memorial Hospital to be treated for his injuries. After treatment, he returned to the Colonie police station where he was charged with conspiracy and destroying physical evidence, both felonies, and unlawful fleeing a police officer, resisting arrest, leaving the scene of a personal injury accident and reckless driving.
Warrant Arrests this week
Dale Spencer, 31, of Colonie, was arrested on Monday, Sept. 2 for failing to appear in Colonie Town Court in August. He was sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee.
Randy Beach, 43, of Rensselaer, after a vehicle accident on Route 9 on Monday, Sept. 2 at 11:45 a.m., for failing to appear in July. He was also charged with aggravated unlicensed operation in the crash. Judge Norman Massry told police to release Beach with an appearance ticket for both for September 9.
Trisha Palmer, 41, who is homeless, after she was the subject of an EMS call at the Econolodge for not showing up to court in July. She was given an appearance ticket at Albany Memorial Hospital for Wednesday, Sept. 18.
