Assault and menacing on New Year’s Day
COLONIE – A local man was arrested on New Year’s Day for injuring his grandmother and allegedly menacing her and his uncle with a knife during a domestic incident.
According to reports, the woman was allegedly pushed down by Lavar Houtman, 38, and transported to the hospital for a back injury. He also prevented the victims from calling 911.
Houtman was charged with assault – second degree- to injure a victim over 65 and criminal possession of a weapon, both felonies and criminal mischief- disabling equipment to prevent an emergency call, and menacing with a weapon, both misdemeanors.
Police said that he was uncooperative during the incident and threatened police with bodily harm.
Houtman was processed and arraigned in Colonie Town Court.
During the incident, police found that Luneil Gordan, 57, who was a victim in this incident, was also wanted for not showing up for Colonie Town Court in September. He was arrested on the scene and given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Employee charged with Grand Larceny
COLONIE–An employee at Macy’s at Colonie Center was taken into custody on Sunday, Dec. 22, and charged with causing over $6,000 of financial loss to the store.
According to reports, Sadari Clarke, 42, of Albany, made false entries into business records at Macy’s to conceal larcenies. The incidents took place between November 1 and December 22 and totaled $6,050.
She was charged with grand larceny-third degree and falsifying business records, both felonies. Clarke was arraigned in Colonie Town court.
Reckless driving, Crash, Leaves scene and DWI
COLONIE– Colonie police responded to the Northway Mall on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 5:10 a.m. to investigate a personal injury crash.
According to reports, a 32-year-old Loudonville man had left the scene of the accident and was located nearby shortly after. After an investigation, the man was charged with DWI, reckless driving, and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident, all misdemeanors, and ticked for speeding and refusing to take a breath test.
He was released and was scheduled to appear in Colonie Town Court on Monday, Jan. 6.
Auto stripping and grand larceny
COLONIE– A 43-year-old Latham man turned himself in to Colonie Police on Monday, Dec. 23 to face charges for a November incident at a local auto repair shop.
According to reports, Peter Karian was involved in a November 16 incident at DeNooyer Collision Center on Central Avenue.
He was charged with grand larceny and auto stripping, both felonies. Karian was released with an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Stolen credit cards and grand larceny
COLONIE– A 39-year-old Virginia woman turned herself in to Colonie police on Tuesday, Dec. 24 on an outstanding warrant for an incident at Colonie Center earlier in the month.
According to reports, Tierra Koonce, of Newport News, Vir. was charged with grand larceny-fourth degree, identity theft, and conspiracy-fourth degree, all felonies for an incident at Five Guys on December 15. Koonce was sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee.
Felony DWI
COLONIE– Colonie police observed a 70-year-old Milford man pass a red light on Tuesday, Dec. 24 and performed a traffic stop near the intersection of Central Avenue and Jupiter Lane in the Village.
According to reports, at approximately 1:16 a.m., officers observed signs of alcohol impairment in the driver, Gerald Brown, and performed field sobriety tests. An investigation found that Brown had a prior conviction for an alcohol-related offense within the last 10 years.
He was charged with felony DWI-prior conviction and ticketed for a traffic light violation.
Brown was processed and released on an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Jan. 13.
Another Felony DWI
LATHAM–On Tuesday, Dec. 24, Colonie police responded to Ollies at Latham Farms on Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 6:45 p.m. for a call for service involving a 42-year-old Troy woman.
According to reports, when police arrived they found Dana Crispell sitting in her Jeep Wrangler with the engine running. Upon interviewing Crispell, officers observed a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath and she said she had consumed three PBRs.
Officers performed and Crispell failed field sobriety tests and she tested positive for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device. The investigation also found that Crispell had a prior conviction for DWI within the last 10 years.
She was charged with felony DWI-prior conviction, processed, released was scheduled to appear in Colonie Town Court on Monday, Jan. 6.
Accident, unconscious and DWAI-Drugs
COLONIE – Colonie police responded to a four-car accident at the intersection of Central Avenue and Wolf Road on Friday, Jan. 3, and found one of the drivers impaired by drugs.
According to reports, at 2:51 p.m. a 2015 gray Ford Sedan was involved in a crash with three other vehicles by rear-ending another vehicle. The driver, a 51-year-old Colonie woman was found unconscious behind the wheel because she was determined to be under the influence of drugs.
Officers found a quantity of drugs in the vehicle and the woman was arrested for DWAI-Drugs, a misdemeanor. She was also charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for not having insurance and following too closely.
The woman was given an appearance ticket for Wednesday, Jan. 15 in Colonie Town Court.
DWI and no license
COLONIE – A 61-year-old Colonie man was involved in a property damage vehicle accident on Saturday, Jan. 4, and found to be impaired by alcohol.
According to reports, the man was given and failed field sobriety tests at the scene, the intersection of Central Avenue and Wolf Road. He also did not have a valid license.
He was charged with DWI and aggravated unlicensed operation, both misdemeanors.
The man was released with an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Jan. 13.
DWI and no lights
COLONIE – Colonie police stopped a black Dodge pickup truck near the intersection of Central Avenue and Reber Street on Sunday, Jan. 5, and found the driver to be intoxicated.
According to reports, at 12:29 a.m. officers observed the vehicle speeding without lights on and not staying in its lane. The driver, a 53-year-old Schenectady man, displayed bloodshot and watery eyes, slow and slurred speech, and had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath. He refused a test for breath alcohol on a pre-screening device.
The man was taken into custody and charged with DWI, a misdemeanor, and ticketed for refusing to take a breath test, failure to turn headlamps on, speeding, and failure to stay in a single lane.
He was given an appearance ticket for Colonie Town Court on Monday, Jan. 27.
Bail Jumping, warrant, and two larcenies at Target
COLONIE – Watervliet police arrested Issac Loven, 43, of Latham on Monday, Jan. 6 for an outstanding warrant for not showing up for court in November.
According to reports, Loven was also charged with bail jumping, a misdemeanor, and processed on the warrant.
While he was there, Colonie police charged him with two additional larcenies at Target on Wade Road Extension in Latham for incidents in October and November.
He was charged with two counts of petit larceny and sent to the Albany County jail as a pre-arraignment detainee.