Sliver of I-890 is in southwest corner of town
COLONIE – A horrific accident on I-890 took the life of a 14-year-old and the teen driver was charged with driving under the influence and vehicular homicide.
On October 7, at approximately 11:08 p.m., State Police responded to reports of a two-car crash on I-890 in Colonie. The point of the southwest corner of the town covers less than a quarter of a mile of the highway.
According to reports, the investigation determined a vehicle driven by a 17-year-old boy was traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed when it lost control and overturned multiple times. The vehicle rolled into the westbound lanes, striking a westbound vehicle. Four teenage passengers were in the eastbound vehicle. One of those passengers, 14-year-old A’Mon Willis of Albany, sustained severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
All other parties involved, including the driver of the westbound vehicle, were transported to Albany Medical Center hospital with what is believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
The 17-year-old suspect was evaluated by a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE), and samples were collected to determine the drug and alcohol content of their blood and was arrested upon release from the hospital.
He was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and assault, both felonies, and DWAI-combined alcohol and drugs, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for other traffic violations.
The boy was arraigned at the Cohoes City Court and was remanded to Oneida County Correctional Facility as an Adolescent Offender until future court proceedings. According to police, when the suspect is an adolescent, they have to be arraigned by a judge who is certified to handle adolescent cases, which the Cohoes judge is. Adolescents must also be housed in facilities that are set up for youth offenders. Oneida was the closest facility with available space, police said.
Burglary and larceny
COLONIE – An Albany man was arrested by Colonie police on Sunday, Sept. 30 at the Econolodge on Central Avenue and the charges were upgraded to felony since he was trespassed from the hotel because of earlier incidents.
According to police, Benjamin Leonce, 49, was at the hotel and allegedly stole food and drink items from the hotel. He was charged with burglary, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned.
DWI on Wade Road Extension
LATHAM – Colonie police responded to the Stewart Shops on Wade Road Extension on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 10:15 p.m. and found a 45-year-old Cohoes man drunk behind the wheel.
According to reports, the man was charged with DWI and ticketed with an improper right turn and failing to keep right. The man was given an appearance ticket and released. He is due back in Colonie Town Court on October 16.
Grand larceny at Travelodge
SCHENECTADY – City police took Ajaniece Spooner, 29, of Albany, into custody on Monday, Oct. 1 for an unrelated incident there and then took her to Ellis Hospital for an unrelated medical issue, according to police.
She was then taken into custody by Colonie police for an incident two days before at the Travelodge on Wolf Road. Spooner was charged with grand larceny – third degree, a felony. The charge was not eligible for bail.
She was released with an appearance ticket and is scheduled back in Colonie Town Court on October 9.
Warrant
LATHAM – A Watervliet man was the subject of a check a person call on Monday, Oct. 2 at approximately 1:01 p.m. at Shaker Pointe and found to be wanted by Albany County.
Brainy McCoy, 57, was taken into custody and turned over to Albany County Family Court.
Auto stripping and felonies
COLONIE – A Troy man faces multiple charges for an incident at Y’s Catalytic Recycling on Dott Avenue on Monday, Oct. 2.
NY DOCCS officers brought Christopher Stevens, 37, to Colonie police where he was charged with criminal mischief, grand larceny and conspiracy, all felonies, and auto stripping, a misdemeanor. He was arraigned by Colonie Judge Norman Massry.
Burglary and larceny and wanted
COLONIE – A homeless man with a history of burglary and not showing up for court was charged with burglary, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor, on Monday, Oct. 2 for an incident at Macy’s in October 2022.
Robert Tracy, 42, was brought over from the Albany County jail where he was in custody, to be processed and arraigned on the new charges by Colonie Town Judge Norman Massry. He was also processed on an outstanding warrant for not showing up for court in May 2022.
Tracy was involved in thefts in Glenmont in 2019.
Warrant
COLONIE – A Colonie man was taken into custody by Colonie police on Monday, Oct. 2 after he failed to appear in court.
Michael Kabler, 49, of Colonie, was processed then arraigned by Colonie Town Judge Norman Massry.
Grand larceny for football equipment theft
LATHAM – A homeless man was arrested on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at Dicks Sporting goods by another police agency, then turned over to Colonie police to face charges from an August incident at the store.
According to reports, Christian Markus, 31, allegedly stole football equipment from the store. He was charged with grand larceny, a felony, and issued an appearance ticket because grand larceny is not bail eligible. Markus is scheduled back in Colonie Town Court on October 18.
Felony assault and weapons charge
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to a domestic dispute on Hampshire Way on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at approximately 11:19 p.m.
According to reports, Alexandre Sa Alves, 51, of Colonie, was charged with assault – third degree, and criminal possession of a weapon, a misdemeanor, and sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee.
High speed chase, meth and five warrants
LATHAM – A short high-speed chase on Wednesday, Oct. 11 after Colonie police discontinued pursuing a Ravena man on Wolf Road after officers observed multiple traffic violations.
Police located Geoffrey Albright, 35, later that morning at the Latham Inn on Watervliet Shaker Road in the same vehicle.
Albright had been the subject of a chase earlier in the year. An investigation found that he did not have a license and was in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine.
He was taken into custody and charged with unlawful fleeing a police officer, criminal possession of a controlled substance, resisting arrest, aggravated unlicensed operation and reckless driving, all misdemeanors, and ticketed for improper passing on the right and three red light violations.
Albright also had five outstanding warrants. He was given an appearance ticket for October 31 and released to other police agencies.
Warrant
COLONIE – Tyshaun Phelps, 19, who is homeless, was transported to Colonie police for an outstanding warrant on Wednesday, Oct. 4 for not showing up for court in September.
He was processed and arraigned by Colonie Town Judge Norman Massry.
Eat and run at Shoprite
COLONIE – An Albany woman who was not supposed to be at the Shoprite supermarket on Central Avenue because she had signed a trespass affidavit for past incidents, was arrested at the store by Colonie police on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
According to reports, Ashanti Burch, 43, allegedly consumed food in an aisle at the store and then left without paying for it. Because she had the affidavit on file, she was charged with burglary, a felony, and petit larceny, a misdemeanor.
Burch was arraigned by Colonie Town Judge Norman Massry.
Forged instrument, grand larceny at Sunmark
LATHAM – A Schenectady man was taken into custody on Wednesday, Oct. 4 in Troy after a fraud investigation.
Robert Wolf, 31, was involved in an incident at the Sunmark Federal Credit Union in July.
He was charged with grand larceny, attempted grand larceny and possession of a forged instrument, all felonies.
Wolf was arraigned.
19 suspensions but still driving
COLONIE – A 31-year-old Schenectady man driving an unregistered and uninspected vehicle was stopped near the intersection of Central and Dunning Avenues on Thursday, Oct. 5 at approximately 12:43 a.m. for traffic violations.
An investigation found that Roydel Cossou had 19 suspensions on 11 separate dates on his license. He was charged with felony aggravated unlicensed operation because there were more than 10 suspensions. Cossou was also charged with operating without an inspection, operating an unregistered vehicle and operating a motor vehicle without a license.
He was processed and released on an appearance ticket. He is scheduled to return to Colonie Town Court on October 16.