DELMAR – These are the Police briefs that appeared in November 16th edition of The Spotlight.
BETHLEHEM — The Bethlehem Police Department, along with New York State Liquor Authority, conducted a compliance check for establishments that sell alcoholic beverages on Thursday, Nov. 3
The detail checked 24 establishments within the Town of Bethlehem and eight people were arrested for selling alcohol to a minor.
These establishments had employees that were found to be in compliance with the law:
• Speedway – 1358 New Scotland Road.
• Wine and Spirits of Slingerlands – 1365 New Scotland Road.
• Price Chopper – 1355 New Scotland Road.
• Delmar Wine and Liquor – 340 Delaware Ave.
• Stewarts – 309 Delaware Ave.
• CVS – 260 Delaware Ave.
• Delmar Beverage – 242 Delaware Ave.
• Upstate Wine and Spirits – 180 Delaware Ave.
• Hannaford – 180 Delaware Ave.
• Cumberland Farms – 68 State Route 9W.
• Stewarts – 33 Frontage Road.
• CVS – 416 State Route 9W.
• Cumberland Farms – 430 State Route 9W.
• Walmart – 311 State Route 9W.
• Selkirk Corner Market – 1250 State Route 9W.
• Stewarts – 1344 State Route 9W.
Eight employees from the following establishments were not in compliance and charged with misdemeanor selling alcohol to a minor. They were each given appearance tickets for Bethlehem Town Court.
• Shoprite – 41 Vista Blvd.
• Stewarts – 624 Delaware Ave.
• Valero – 594 Delaware Ave.
• Mobile – 317 Delaware Ave.
• Speedway/Exxon – 146 Delaware Ave.
• Mayones Wine and Liquor – 329 Glenmont Road
• Mobil – 415 State Route 9W.
• Price Chopper – 329 Glenmont Road.
Second warrant arrest for 2020 incident
DELMAR – A Rensselaer man was arrested for a third time for alleged crimes that took place almost two years ago.
Travis Hull, 27, was arrested by Bethlehem Police in December 2020 for drug charges and vehicle and traffic infractions on Delaware Avenue. He was given an appearance ticket but did not appear in Bethlehem Town Court. The court issued a warrant and Hull was arrested again in July 2021 on that. He was arraigned and released on his own recognizance, but did not appear for his court date.
The Court signed another warrant in February 2022. Hull was arrested Sunday, Nov. 6 by Albany Police and found to have an outstanding warrant in Bethlehem and turned him over. He was arraigned by Bethlehem Judge Andrew Kirby and released under the supervision of probation. He is scheduled to appear on Tuesday, Nov. 15.
Texting while drunk driving on 9W
GLENMONT – On Saturday, Nov 5 at approximately 1:19 p.m., Bethlehem police responded to a personal injury auto crash on Route 9W. Upon arrival they found a Gray Jeep Cherokee allegedly rear ended another vehicle on the corner of Plank Road.
The driver of the vehicle, a 65-year-old Delmar woman, reported to police that she was texting while driving northbound and failed to stop.
While talking to the woman, the officers observed her to have watery bloodshot eyes and impared speech and motor coordination. She admitted to having five vodka with ice drinks at home. She 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 .15 percent BAC. The woman was charged with DWI, given a bill of particulars and released with a return to court date of Tuesday, Dec. 6.
Buying diapers with fake currency
GLENMONT – Bethlehem police responded to Walmart on Route 9W for a report of woman using a fake $100 bill to purchase goods.
On Sunday, Nov. 6, Christina Saintil, 23, of Brooklyn, attempted to purchase a package of Huggies diapers with the bill and was detained at the customer service desk until police arrived.
Santil said she bought the fraudulent currency on the street from a stranger in New York City.
She was arrested and charged with possession of a forged instrument, a felony. Santil was arraigned by Bethlehem Judge Ryan Donovan and released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled back in court on Monday, Dec. 5.
Felony DWI near Thatcher Park
VOORHEESVILLE – On Friday, Oct. 14 at approximately 3:32 p.m., the Albany County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to multiple calls about a vehicle being operated erratically. Callers reported a blue/gray suburban crossed the yellow center line with all four wheels over 20 times and almost hit pedestrians and motorcycles.
Deputies traced the vehicle through a DMV search and located the vehicle in the driveway of an East Berne residence.
Upon interviewing the resident, Michelle Dinsmore, 49, she admitted driving the vehicle and drinking before driving it. She was given and failed field sobriety tests and was not able to give a breath sample on a pre-screening device. Dinsmore was taken into custody.
At the police station, she provided a breath sample at 7:54 p.m. that returned a .20 percent BAC.
Dinsmore was charged with felony DWI and felony aggravated DWI because she had three prior convictions. She was released with traffic tickets and is scheduled to be at Berne Town Court on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Robbery at Walmart
GLENMONT – An Albany woman turned herself in on Wednesday, Nov. 9 for allegedly punching a Walmart employee in the face in October.
Justine Ortiz, 37, of Albany, entered the Walmart and allegedly put merchandise inside a shopping bag and went beyond the point of sale. She also punched an employee in the face while he was attempting to recover the merchandise. Ortiz left the scene in a vehicle.
On October 31, police submitted a request for an arrest warrant for robbery, a felony, assault and petit larceny, both misdemeanors, and harassment, a violation.
Ortiz was processed and arraigned by Bethlehem Judge Ryan Donovan. She is scheduled back in court on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
One man with two Fake checks at two Pioneer branches in one hour
DELMAR – On the same day, a man presented two fraudulent checks at Pioneer Bank within two hours and walked out with most of the cash.
According to reports, Fred Treece, 43, of Schenectady, entered the Glenmont branch at approximately 11:22 a.m., identified as himself by photo ID, and deposited a fake check for $1,232.73. He deposited $200 and received the balance of $1,032.73 in cash.
45 minutes later, Treece entered the Delmar branch and deposited a fake check for $1,232.72. He deposited $200 and received the balance of $1,032.72 in cash.
The checks were written against a JP Morgan Chase Bank NA bank account and were returned to Pioneer as altered/fictitious. Treece came to the Bethlehem police station on Tuesday, Nov. 8 to speak to detectives about the incident and was charged with two counts each of grand larceny and possession of a forged instrument, both felonies.
He was arraigned and sent to the Albany County Jail and will return to Bethlehem Town Court in December.
