Alleged larcenist lands in jail
DELMAR – A woman wanted by at least four police departments for at least five separate arrests and charges, had bail set and sent to jail. This all might seem very confusing and vague, but that is because it is. We are doing our best to sort through this.
On November 8, Halasha Maeweather, 20, of Albany (on the most recent arrest), was sent back to the Rensselaer County jail in lieu of $1 bail set by Bethlehem Town Judge Ryan Donovan after he arraigned her on a charge of petit larceny, a misdemeanor. The charge stemmed from a June 12 incident at Price Chopper in Glenmont that involved the theft of $503 worth of merchandise from the store.
Under the 2019 State criminal justice reform, that charge would not be bail eligible. Matter of fact, if the charge was felony grand larceny for a theft over $1,000, it still would not be bail eligible. However, if a judge arraigns a suspect and releases them under conditions and the new charge is a felony, the judge can consider bail. We are not sure what charge or municipality was able to make her eligible for bail, but on November 2, Maeweather was arrested in Guilderland, processed there on charges and then transported to Bethlehem for the arrest warrant for the Price Chopper.
Donovan was contacted by police, but because Maeweather had other outstanding warrants, he vacated the warrant and had police issue an appearance ticket for November 8 and release her to North Greenbush police for its warrant.
North Greenbush must have sent Maeweather to the Rensselaer County jail, because on November 6 Colonie police picked her up at the jail for two outstanding warrants they had for her. Both of the warrants were for incidents that took place in September 2022.
It is also worth noting that Maeweather had two different addresses on those warrants, which were different from the addresses in North Greenbush and Bethlehem. According to media reports, Maeweather was also arrested in North Greenbush in September 2022 for larceny.
The two warrants in Colonie were for failing to appear in court, but the reports do not have the original charges. They must have been strong enough to hold her, because Colonie Judge Andrew Sommers arraigned her on both warrants and sent her back to Rensselaer County jail.
That is where she was on November 8, where Bethlehem traveled over to pick Maeweather up for court, arraign, set bail and return her to the jail.
Bethlehem police also made sure to send securing orders to both the Albany County and Rensselaer County jails for her.
That way, if she made bail in one municipality and was transferred to another, Maeweather would still be held.
Maeweather was with Myunique McQueen, 20, of Albany at the June 12 Price Chopper larceny. She was charged as well in the case.
Mcqueen, however, was involved in grand larceny thefts at Lowes in Glenmont, three separate grand larcenies and bail jumping in Colonie, grand larceny in North Greenbush, larceny in August 2022 at Price Chopper in Slingerlands and larcenies in Glenville. All of these arrests took place since August 2022.
There is a call for the State Legislature to revise the bail laws regarding prevalent larcenists. A bill has been introduced in the State Senate and Assembly, but that has not been considered yet.
Chase, DWI, 25 charges
SLINGERLANDS – A chase that started on Route 85 ended on Lincoln Avenue in Albany when the driver crashed his vehicle, fled on foot, returned to the scene and was charged with DWI.
According to reports, at 2:59 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, Bethlehem police attempted to pull over a 2010 Nissan Frontier on Route 85 that was traveling 74 mph and the vehicle fled. The vehicle increased to 91 mph and exited the highway into the neighborhoods in the city of Albany.
Bethlehem police discontinued the chase once it left the highway due to safety concerns and continued to the next exit to turn around to head back to Bethlehem. At that point the officer saw the vehicle enter Route 85 again and accelerated to approximately 100 mph.
The Nissan turned off its lights during this time as well. The car exited 85 again and entered the City of Albany again and the chase was again discontinued for safety.
A search of the area found the Nissan crashed at the end of Rosemont Street and when officers approached the vehicle, they saw a suspect run through the woods and chased on foot.
They lost contact with the suspect, but he found them near the intersection of Lincoln and Colvin Avenues.
The man, a 21-year-old Troy man, told officers it was his car that crashed and he was driving. The man was taken into custody for unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle.
While speaking with the man, officers observed he had bloodshot and glassy eyes, slurred speech and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath.
He was given and failed field sobriety tests and tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device.
At the police station he provided a breath sample that returned a .15 percent BAC.
He was charged with DWI, unlawful fleeing a police officer and two counts of reckless driving, all misdemeanors and driving left of markings, two counts of speeding, unsafe lane change, leaving the scene of a property damage accident, no lights, six counts of illegal signal and seven counts of failing to stop at stop signs, all violations.
The man was given an appearance ticket for Bethlehem Town Court on November 21 and released.