Hoosac Senior Killed in Crash

ADAMS, Mass. — A Hoosac Valley High School student was killed in a one-vehicle accident early Thursday morning on Bucklin Road.

Police said 18-year-old Dana R. Labbee of 6 Burns Lane was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the only occupant in the vehicle.

Labbee, a senior, played sports at the high school, including on the football and track teams. Labbee did not play baseball but the Hoosac team cancelled its game today because of the senior's many friends on the team.

The accident was reported about 5:27 a.m. Scanner reports indicate the vehicle Labbee was driving rolled over on the back road.

Officers Gregory Charon and Nicholas Dabrowski and members of the Adams Fire Department and Adams Ambulance Service responded to the scene. The accident is under investigation by police and State Police Accident Reconstruction Team.

Drug Ring Suspects Arraigned in Pittsfield

Eight people, arrested after early morning drug raids Wednesday in Pittsfield, Richmond and Adams were arraigned before Judge Rita Koenigs on Wednesday afternoon in Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield.

Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said those arraigned Wednesday were arrested in the culmination of the first phase of a large-scale, ongoing investigation. He said additional warrants and arrests are expected. According to Capeless, investigators have seized more than 150 grams of cocaine,  more than 25 pounds of high-grade marijuana, over 100 oxycontin pills, methadone tablets, one .380 caliber handgun and $50,000 in cash.

Those arraigned were:

• Michael Cargill, 34, of Swamp Road, Richmond: Single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute).

• Richard B. Carnevale Jr., 31, Brown Street, Pittsfield: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), trafficking in OxyContin, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute)

Both men were ordered held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $500,00 bail and both will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Michael King, 52, of Elm Street, Adams: Single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine).

• Shane Whalen, 30, Dalton Avenue, Pittsfield: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine).

Both King and Whalen were ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail and to return to court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• David B. LaPlante, 31, Orchard Street, Pittsfield: Single counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine), possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card.

Koenigs ordered that he be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $100,000 bail. He, too, will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Tracey Gagne, 48, Elm Street, Adams: Not-guilty pleas entered on single counts of trafficking in cocaine and conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine),

She was ordered held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 bail and will be back in court on March 8 for clarification of counsel.

• Frank LeClair, 49, Goodman Lane, Pittsfield: Single counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws (possession of marijuana with intent to distribute).

Koenigs ordered that he be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 bail. He will be back in court on March 29 for a pretrial hearing.

• Katie Lynne Powers, 24, Swamp Road, Richmond: Not-quilty pleas entered for single counts of trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to violate drug laws (trafficking in cocaine) and possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute.

Koenigs ordered that she be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $1,000 bail. She will be back in court on March 29 for a violation of probation.
 
The investigation is being conducted by the Berkshire County Drug Task Force and state and federal investigators.

Task Force Breaks Up Drug Ring

Members of the Berkshire County Drug Task Force executed more than a dozen search warrants this morning in Pittsfield, Richmond and Adams, according to a press release from the DA's office.

Berkshire District Attorney David F. Capeless said eight people were arrested in the culmination of the first phase of a large-scale, ongoing investigation. He said additional warrants and arrests are expected. According to Capeless, investigators have seized more than 150 grams of cocaine, more than 25 pounds of high-grade marijuana, more than 100 Oxycontin pills, methadone tablets, one .380-caliber handgun and $50,000 in cash.
 
Arrested in Pittsfield were Richard Carnevale Jr., Shane Whalen, Frank LeClair and David LaPlante; Richard Cargill and Katie Lynn Powers were arrested in Richmond; and Michael King and Tracy Gagne were arrested in Adams. All will be arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court in Pittsfield.
 
"This is a significant drug-dealing ring, and we will continue to work until we have snared every person involved," said Capeless in a statement. "I commend the officers of the Task Force for another job well done, and wish them continued success in bringing this investigation to a just conclusion."

The investigation is being conducted by the task force, including investigators from the state police assigned to the district attorney's office, members of the Pittsfield, Adams, North Adams, Dalton, Lee, Lenox, Williamstown, Lanesborough, Great Barrington and Stockbridge police departments, federal investigators from the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and state troopers assigned to the Lee and Cheshire barracks.  

Adams Crash Sends Three to NARH

ADAMS, Mass. Three people were sent to the hospital Wednesday after a two-car collision on Howland Avenue

The crash occurred just after noon at the corner of Brown Street and Howland Avenue. A 2010 Honda Accord driven by Margaret Richardson of Cheshire and a 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Robert Briggs collided while Richardson was attempting a left turn onto Brown Street.

Both drivers and a passenger in Richardson's car were transported to North Adams Regional Hospital for treatment of what were described as minor injuries.

Adams Collision Sends Woman to BMC

ADAMS, Mass. — A head-on collision between a pickup and a car on Howland Avenue  in front of the Dugout Motel at about 2:22 p.m. sent an eldery woman to the hospital.

Maryann Dilego, 71, of 100 Howland Ave. was taken to Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield by Adams Ambulance Service after the red 2002 Hyundai Accent she was driving collided with a 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck driven by Gary Mazzantini, 50, of 1690 Windsor Road, Cheshire. No further information was provided in the police report.

Mazzantini reportedly refused treatment at the scene. Howland Avenue (Route 8) was closed to traffic from Hodges Cross Road in North Adams to Lime Street for a time. The state police accident reconstruction team was called to the scene and the accident is still under investigation.

There was a persistent rumor that someone was killed in the accident but police confirmed on Tuesday that there were no fatalities.