Man charged with DWI, wanted and on federal parole
DELMAR – A Coeymans man led police from multiple departments on an 11-mile chase that ended with a crash and foot chase near Elsmere Avenue on Monday, June 12.
Coeymans police responded to a report of a reckless driver in the area of Blodgett Hill Road in Coeymans.
According to reports, when officers arrived in the area, they observed a Chevrolet pickup truck speeding, leaving the roadway and entering a large field. At this point, officers from Coeymans and the Albany County Sheriff’s office searched for the vehicle in the field and observed it exit back onto Blodgett Hill Road and then on Cedar Grove Road.
The driver of the vehicle, Anthony Starks, 24, of Coeymans, failed to comply with attempts by police to pull him over and continued into the town of Bethlehem where town police and State Police joined the chase. It ended on the Delmar Bypass near Elsmere Avenue when Bethlehem officers placed spike strips on the roadway, disabling Starks’ tires.
The truck, now with flat tires, failed to yield at a red light and crashed into a pickup truck entering from Elsmere.
According to reports, Starks then fled on foot but was cornered on the roof of a church by an Albany County Sheriff’s Office K9 patrol. He was taken into custody without further incident.
There were no injuries reported from the crash.
Starks was transported to Albany Medical Center Hospital and submitted to a blood draw while there. He was charged by Coeymans police with DWI, reckless driving, speeding, unauthorized use of a vehicle and aggravated unlicensed operation.
Bethlehem police issued tickets for Bethlehem and Albany County Sheriff’s Department have further charges pending.
Starks was arraigned in Coeymans Town Court and then transported to Rotterdam, where he had an outstanding arrest warrant for a previous domestic incident there.
Once he was arraigned in Rotterdam Town Court he was sent to the Albany County jail and was held on a parole violation.
Starks is on Federal parole for weapons violations.
Man identified in van theft through DNA
SLINGERLANDS – A 57-year old Feura Bush man was arrested by Bethlehem detectives on Friday, June 9 for allegedly stealing a Ford van from the Beverwyck in September.
On September 15, Bethlehem police responded to the living community for a report that the vehicle was stolen and it was recovered six days later at a Stewart’s Shop in Schenectady.
Detectives collected DNA samples from the vehicle and submitted them to the State Police lab for analysis.
In October, the lab results showed three potential donors of the DNA but could not identify them. The DNA information was put in for periodic searching to find a match.
The State Police lab notified Bethlehem detectives they had a potential match in March to Richard Carfora. Carfora is accused of stealing another vehicle at the same Stewart’s on the same day the Beverwyck van was stolen, then crashing that vehicle in Schenectady. Detectives applied and received a warrant for Carfora.
On June 9, detectives were contacted by officials at the Schenectady County jail that they had Carfaro in custody and would turn him over.
When Bethlehem officers arrived to take him, Carfaro had injuries from allegedly fighting with jail personnel prior to their arrival. Carfaro was taken to Albany Medical Center hospital and then to the Albany County jail.
DWAI drugs and possession
SELKIRK – Bethlehem police responded to the Stewart’s for a report of a man in a 2010 white Ford van who appeared to be under the influence on Wednesday, June 15 at approximately 6:13 a.m. According to reports, upon arrival they observed a 35-year-old Coxsackie man asleep but rocking back and forth in the driver’s seat with the engine running. The officers made contact with the driver and had him turn off the van and step outside.
Officers observed two bags of pills and blue straw on the man’s lap. He said he took one of the pills the night before.
He was given and failed field sobriety tests, tested negative for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device, and taken into custody.
The pills were later to be identified as alprazolam and oxycodone, and the man had buprenorphine and naloxone in his wallet.
The man was charged with DWAI-Drugs and criminal possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors.
The man was given a bill of particulars and issued traffic tickets then was released on an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court on Tuesday, June 20.
No license, but wanted in Virginia
SELKIRK – On Wednesday, June 14 at approximately 12:17 a.m. a Bethlehem police road patrol observed a red Kia traveling on River Road with no operable license plate lamps. The officer initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Wayne Carson, 48, from Albany. According to reports, Carson said that he did not have a license and was identified by non-driver ID. After a check, Carson had an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Accomack County Virginia.
Police took him into custody and charged with the warrant, aggravated unlicensed operation, a misdemeanor, and ticketed with operating a motor vehicle without a license and not having working plate lamps.
He was arraigned by Bethlehem Judge Ryan Donovan at 1:16 a.m. and sent to the Albany County jail. The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office was contacted and given contact information for the jail to pick up Carson.
Facebook sale gone wrong
DELMAR – A local man selling his Toyota Prius on Facebook Marketplace had it stolen during the transaction allegedly by a 19-year-old Albany man.
According to reports, the victim offered the car for sale and agreed to meet a person who was later identified as Xavier Ward at a residence on Mansion Boulevard on April 30 at approximately 4:24 p.m.
Ward asked to test drive the vehicle and the victim agreed and sat in the passenger seat while they drove the vehicle around the block and back to the residence. Ward then requested to see the engine compartment and when the victim exited the vehicle, Ward drove away.
Bethlehem police and other police agencies searched the area but could not locate the vehicle. The victim’s wallet and credit cards were in the vehicle as well.
On May 25, Menands police located the Prius and took Ward into custody, who was in possession of the vehicle. The victim positively identified Ward as the person who was at the Facebook transaction and Bethlehem police completed a warrant application for Ward.
Police responded to the area of Bleecker Terrace on Saturday, June 10 to pick Ward up from Albany police on the warrant.
Ward was charged with grand larceny, a felony. The charge is not a bail-eligible offense and when contacted, Bethlehem Judge Ryan Donovan directed police to release Ward on an appearance ticket for Tuesday, June 13.