NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — An elderly Vermont man had to be helped from his car after it got stuck in the automatic car-wash bay at V's Car Wash on State Road on Monday afternoon.
Police, fire and EMS were called to the car wash, located behind the Monro Muffler Brake & Service, around 3:30 p.m. after a report that a piece of the car wash had collapsed on a car and trapped the driver inside.
Police said the driver, whose name was not released, had driven into the bay a little crooked. When he tried to correct, the front tire of the car went over the rails, sending the car into the cleaning mechanism. That machinery then fell onto the front right side of the car, blocking the driver's side door.
The driver was able to get to the passenger seat, where emergency personnel helped him out.
"We assisted him out of the car," North Adams Police Sgt. James Burdick said.
The man was not injured, but he rested on an ambulance stretcher in the shade until a family member came and took him away.
Police and fire officials waited for Mohawk Auto to bring their flat-bed wrecker to remove the Subaru Outback. The car sustained damage to the driver's side mirror and the driver's side panel along the hood of the car.
Utilities were turned off to the six-bay car wash while the operation was taking place and while officials waited for the car wash's owner to come assess the damage to the machinery.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Police are seeking information on a man who brandished a handgun during an attempted armed robbery on Monday morning.
The incident occurred at about 9:21 a.m. at Quadlands Flowers & Gifts on Holden Street.
The suspect is described as a clean-shaven white man, standing about 5-foot-6, weighing 130 to 140 pounds and with light hair in a buzzcut.
According to police, the man entered the store and brandished a handgun that had been tucked in his waistband. He did not get any money and no one was injured.
The suspect was last seen wearing a dark blue shirt, gym shorts, and had a black backpack. He was running east by Little's Pharmacy on Eagle Street.
Police are asking anyone with information about the suspect or who witnessed him running in this area during this time to contact the detective bureau at 413-662-3105.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Tuesday, June 14.
Michael Bell, 44, of Watervliet, N.Y. had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single counts of assault and battery on a disabled person.
He was released on personal recognizance. Bell is accused of assaulting a student while working at Eagleton School between March 1, 2015 and March 31, 2015.
Jerrel Hall, 24, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute - his second offense - armed career felon, illegal possession of a firearm - his second offense - and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail. The charges stem from the execution of an arrest warrant on May 23, 2016.
Tony Mejias, 35, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in heroin and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $25,000 bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in North Adams on May 6, 2016.
Billy Joe Twing, 35, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of trafficking in fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute - his second offense- possession of marijuana with intent to distribute - his second offense - resisting arrest, failure to stop for a police officers, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
He was released on $2,500 bail. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on March 26, 2016.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Wednesday, June 15.
Tony Mejias, 35, of North Adams pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license in connection with a motor vehicle stop in North Adams on September 3, 2015. He also pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws in connection with a motor vehicle stop in North Adams on May 6, 2016.
He was ordered to serve a one-day sentence at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the possession of heroin with intent to distribute charge associated with the September incident. He was given concurrent three to four years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the possession of heroin and conspiracy to violate drug laws charges from May. He was given a concurrent one-day sentence on the motor vehicle charge.
Alexis Lopez, 23, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on seven counts of assault and battery on a disabled person, six counts of caretaker abuse on a disabled person, and a single count of assault and battery with serious bodily injury.
He was released on personal recognizance. Lopez is accused of assaulting five students while working at Eagleton School between January 1, 23015 and January 28, 2016.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Thursday, June 16.
Dylan Ducharme, 20, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on three counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon, and single counts of assault and battery, illegal possession of a loaded firearm, possession of ammunition without a firearm identification card, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail. The charges stem from an incident on Hull Avenue where Ducharme is accused of firing a gun into the air. He is also accused of assaulting several people. The incident occurred on May 14, 2016.
Derrick Saunders, 42, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, assault and battery on a disabled person, and caretaker abuse on a disabled person.
He was released on personal recognizance. Saunders is accused of assaulting a student while employed at Eagleton School between April 1, 2014 and April 30, 2014.
Martin Schmitt, 46, of Lenox had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on three counts of assault and battery on a disabled person, three counts of caretaker abuse on a disabled person, and single counts of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury and threat to commit a crime, to wit: assault and battery.
He was released on personal recognizance. Schmitt is accused of assaulting three students while working at Eagleton School between January 1, 2015 and December, 31, 2015.
Justin Senecal, 27, of Palmer had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of assault and battery on a disabled person, and a single count of caretaker abuse on a disabled person.
He was released on personal recognizance. Senecal is accused of assaulting a student while working at Eagleton School on July 11, 2013.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, May 31.
Ryan Garvey, 41, of Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
Garvey was placed on one-year probation. The charge was in connection with the execution of a search warrant at his home on December 4, 2015.
Keith Larrabee, 22, of North Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.
He was ordered to serve two and a half years at the Berkshire House of Correction. The charge stems from an incident in North Adams involving a 34-year-old man on April 24, 2015.
Shaun Letourneau, 34, of Dalton pleaded guilty to single counts of burning a building and burning wood or other property. He was ordered to serve concurrent two to three years at the Massachusetts Institution at Cedar Junction. Letourneau set fire to a storage shed and shrubbery in Dalton on September 12, 2015.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, June 1.
Lameek Thomas, 25, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm identification card - his second offense - and single counts of possessions of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, and improper storage of a firearm.
He was ordered to serve three to four years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the possession of cocaine charge and given concurrent time at the Berkshire County House of Correction on the other charges.
The charges stem from an execution of a search warrant at a home on Dalton Avenue on November 4, 2014.
A single count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony was dismissed by the state.
Richard Holliman, 42, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws, and single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of morphine with intent to distribute.
He was ordered to serve concurrent 609 days at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant on Hamlin Street in Pittsfield on October 1, 2014.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Thursday, June 2.
Robert Brady III, 34, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute - his second offense - and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was released on $500 bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant on Burbank Street in Pittsfield on April 14, 2016.
Marcus James, 33, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute - his second offense - and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was released on $1,000 bail. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant on Burbank Street in Pittsfield on April 14, 2016.
Patrick Collins, 34, of Stamford, Vt. pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of suboxone - his second offense - and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license - his second offense.
He was ordered to serve concurrent 90-day sentences at the Berkshire County House of Correction. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in North Adams on November 13, 2014.
A single count of conspiracy to violate drug laws was dismissed by the state.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Monday, June 6.
Joevany Santiago, 25, of Springfield had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of manufacturing cocaine - his second offense.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $3,500 bail. The charge stems from the execution of a search warrant at 86 West Main Street in North Adams on April 15, 2016.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Wednesday, June 8.
Selvin Gonzalez-Castillo, 22, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of armed assault with intent to murder and aggravated assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $50,000 bail. Gonzalez-Castillo is accused of stabbing a 29-year-old man in Pittsfield on April 23, 2016.
Cases heard before Judge Maureen Hogan on Thursday, June 9.
Michelle Weed, 38, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, and operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license.
She was ordered to serve one and a half to two years in state prison on the possession of heroin charge and the other charge was placed on file. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on January 11, 2016.
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Firefighters battled a one-alarm fire late Thursday night that threatened to destroy a downtown landmark.
Fire Chief Charles Burger said firefighters responded just after 11 p.m. to Martin's Restaurant, 49 Railroad St., where they found fire in a first-floor kitchen of a two-story downtown block with attached exposures.
Police Officer Chad Shimmon was on the scene discharging an extinguisher through an open window, which helped slow the fire growth. The second-floor apartment was searched to verify it was unoccupied. The first engine on scene was able to quickly control the fire while additional crews checked for extension, ventilated and performed salvage operations.
Fire damage was limited to the first-floor kitchen, though there was smoke and heat damage throughout the restaurant. Second-floor tenants were able to return to their apartment after firefighters ventilated the residence.
The popular restaurant owned by Martin Lewis is open from early morning to late afternoon.
Twenty-one firefighters from Great Barrington responded to Thursday night's fire. The department was assisted on scene by the Lenox Fire Department's Rapid Intervention Team, Great Barrington Police and National Grid. Southern Berkshire Ambulance, along with the Fire Department's Support Group, were on scene providing firefighter rehab. Sheffield Fire covered Great Barrington's fire station.
"I am proud of the quick work done by our department last night," Burger said in a statement. "I would also like to thank all the agencies who assisted us. We were able to save a downtown landmark in Great Barrington."
The business is insured. The cause is under investigation, but is not considered suspicious.
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