DELMAR – These are the Police briefs that appeared in September 28 edition of The Spotlight.
Chase suspect also arrested for medicine theft from CVS
DELMAR – A 19-year-old Albany man arrested in a August 26 car chase that involved almost running over a police officer, crashing into a bethlehem patrol vehicle and stealing $1,562.89 from Price Chopper in Glenmont was arrested again on Tuesday, Sept. 20 by Bethlehem detectives for stealing $4,390.70 worth of medicine from CVS on Delaware Ave.
According to reports, Bishop A Fraser and another man entered the store at 10:21 p.m. and filled Hallmark gift bags with medicine and fled the store.
He was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, both felonies. Fraser was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and released on his own regognozence. He is scheduled back in court on Monday, Oct. 17.
DWI on Route 9W
GLENMONT – Bethlehem police observed and radar confirmed a blue Audi traveling 60 mph in a 45 zone on Saturday, Sept. 17 an performed a traffic stop.
Upon interviewing the driver, a 32-year-old man from Glenmont, the officer observed him to have slurred speech and an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
The man said he consumed five beers and stated he was speeding. He was given and failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device.
The man was arrested for DWI and at the police station provided a breath sample that returned a 0.12 percent BAC.
He was charged with DWI, issued traffic tickets, given a bill of particulars and given a courtesy ride home. The man is scheduled to be back in court on tuesday, Oct. 4.
Unlicensed operation on Delaware, active warrants
DELMAR – An Albany man and woman were arrested on multiple outstanding warrants and new charges after a stop on Delaware Avenue on Monday, Sept. 19 at 1:55 a.m.
Bethlehem police stopped a vehicle driven by Melik Fulton, 47, after the patrol vehicle’s plate reader identified the car as unregistered.
A DMV search revealed that Fulton had 11 suspensions on his license, in addition to the vehicle being unregistered. It also showed he had outstanding warrants for his arrest from two agencies. A passenger in the car, Alisha Dekoskie, also had multiple arrest warrants. Both were taken into custody.
In addition to the warrants, Fulton was charged with operating a vehicle with a suspended license and aggravated unlicensed operation, both misdemeanors, and other traffic violations.
Fulton was released to East Greenbush police and Decoskie was released to Niskayuna police.
Fulton is scheduled to be back in Bethlehem Town Court on Wednesday, Oct. 12.
Man arrested for cashing checks against account of local business
DELMAR – A Glens Falls Man cashed fraudulent checks written against the account of a local business in June was arrested by Bethlehem detectives on Sunday, Sept. 18 after an investigation.
Ernest Skellie, 31, allegedly cashed checks totalling $19,785.31 at SEFCU. The checks were written out in Skellie’s name and he provided his driver’s license number to cash them. The owner of the Delaware Avenue business said to detectives that he had blank checks in his book for three of the check numbers and the fourth was used, but issued to another person.
Skellie was arrested in Glens Falls, transported back to the Bethlehem police station and charged with possession of a forged instrument and grand larceny, both felonies.
He was arraigned by Bethlehem Town Judge Andrew Kirby and released on his own recognizance. Skellie is scheduled back in court on Monday, Oct. 17.
Arrest for grand larceny, car sale
GLENMONT – A Slingerlands man was arrested while he was in Bethlehem Town Court answering other fraud charges on Tuesday, Sept. 20 for fraudulent consignment sales of vehicles at a Glenmont dealer.
Jay Simard, 55, worked at Car Wash Cars, Inc on Route 9W and allegedly arranged to sell a 2012 Ford Fusion on consignment for a local man in 2019 and a check for $5,000, as per agreement, bounced on January 8, 2020.
The victim contacted the owner of the business who informed him that Simard had independent power to bind the business to contracts and agreements and told him to seek Simard.
In 2021, the victim again attempted to cash the checks and they again bounced.
After an investigation, Bethlehem detectives completed an arrest warrant application on Thursday, Sept. 1. Simard was charged with grand larceny, a felony, and issuing a bad check, a misdemeanor.
He was arranged by Judge Andrew Kirby and released to Albany County Probation.
DWI on Western Avenue
GUILDERLAND – Albany County Sheriff’s Deputies observed a black Dodge pickup traveling in excess of the posted speed limit and passing cars on the right side on Western Avenue on Sunday, Sept. 11 and performed a traffic stop.
While interviewing the driver, a 39-year-old Cohoes man, the deputy observed signs of intoxication and an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
The man also said he was operating the vehicle in an official capacity as a mechanic of a local garage. He also had a suspended license.
The man was given field sobriety tests and failed. He was taken into custody and provided a breath sample that returned a 0.15 percent BAC.
An investigation found that the owner did not know the vehicle was drivable and the operation was outside the scope of the agreed upon service.
The man was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation, DWI and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, all misdemeanors, and other traffic violations. He will appear later in Guilderland Town Court.
