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Pittsfield Police Investigating Early Morning Shooting
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Pittsfield Police remained tight-lipped throughout the day about a shooting that occurred in the vicinity of Memorial Drive near Wahconah Street this morning.
As of Tuesday afternoon, details surrounding the shooting, which occurred sometime before 5 a.m. Tuesday, remain sparse. Investigators would not divulge the identity of the 40-year-old man who was shot in the chest.
"It's a shooting, it's still under investigation, and that's all we're going to release at this time," said Lt. Michael Grady of the Detectives Bureau.
Police Chief Michael Wynn told The Berkshire Eagle that the victim had given his assailant's first name but information on the shooting, including the time and place, weren't matching what investigagors were finding.
Representatives of Berkshire Medical Center, where the victim was taken, said they were unable to disclose any information about the man's condition.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Pittsfield Police were called to Memorial Drive off Wahconah Street around 4:45 a.m. on Tuesday, after getting a call that a man had been shot in the chest.
Few details are known at this time but according to broadcast reports, police responded to the scene and found a man described to be in his early 40s, with a possible gunshot wound in the chest. The victim was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for evaluation. Nothing more was known about the victim.
Police were reportedly looking for a possible male suspect and had some footprints and tire tracks in the fresh snow to look at, but nothing further has been released.
— Larry Kratka, Berkshire News Network
Superior Court Briefs: January 23 - January 27
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Larry Jones, 51, of Pittsfield had not a guilty plea entered on his behalf on one count of rape.
Jones was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $5,000 cash or $50,000 surety bail. Jones allegedly sexually assaulted a 39-year-old woman in Pittsfield on December 31, 2011.
Johnathan Labounty, 24, of Pittsfield was found not guilty on one count of rape.
A jury deliberated for about three hours and returned the not guilty verdict. Labounty was accused of sexually assaulting a 40-year-old woman in Pittsfield on August 6, 2010.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, January 24
Rashawn Johnson, 34, of Pittsfield - also known as Sleepy - pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of cocaine, three counts of drug violation in a school zone and a single count of drug violation in a park zone.
Johnson was will serve concurrent three to four year sentences at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the drug charges. He was given concurrent two and a half to three year sentences on the school and park charges. He was sentenced to a total of five to seven years.
The charges stem from incidents in Pittsfield between October 25, 2010 and January 21, 2011.
Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, January 26
Andrew Dupont, 18, of Great Barrington had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of rape and abuse of a child without force.
Dupont was released on personal recognizance on conditions that he have no contact with the alleged victim, observe a 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and reside with his father during the pendency of the case.
The incident allegedly occurred in Great Barrington on December 27, 2011 and involved a 15-year-old girl.
Davon Kelly, 33, of Pittsfield - also known as Nature - pleaded guilty to six counts of distribution of cocaine, a second offense, four counts of conspiracy to violate drug laws, two counts of drug violation in a school zone, and single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, a second offense, and drug violation in a park zone.
Kelly was sentenced to three to four year sentences at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the drug and conspiracy counts. He was given an additional two and a half to three year sentenced on the school zone charge. He will serve a total of five and a half to seven years in state prison.
The charges stem from incidents in Pittsfield between September 24, 2010 and May 5, 2011.
Andy Rivera, 31, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of carrying a dangerous weapon, his second offense, and disturbing the peace.
He was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from an incident in Pittsfield on November 8, 2011.
Wayne King, 37, of Sandown, N.H. was found guilty on a single count of rape of a child with force. The former North Adams resident was also found not guilty on an additional count of rape of a child with force.
He was held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail until his sentencing. On Friday he was sentenced to eight to 10 years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction.
King sexually assaulted a girl who is now 16-years-old in North Adams and Savoy between June 9, 2000 and December 17, 2004.
Gary Ostrander, 34, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
Ostrander was sentenced to one year of a two year sentenced on the possession charge and placed on two years probation on the conspiracy charge.
Ostrander was in possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute when he was arrested on May 20, 2010 and conspired with others to sell cocaine between December 23, 2009 and March 5, 2010. A single count of drug violation in a school zone was dismissed by the state.
Rollover Halts Traffic On Route 7 In Williamstown
 It appeared that the car was headed northbound when it hit the bank and rolled into the southbound lane. |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A Bennington, Vt., man was arrested on multiple motor vehicle charges Thursday afternoon after he crashed near the Chef's Hat diner on Route 7 (Simonds Road).
Police said Jeffrey L. Dartt, 50, of Benmont Ave., was attempting to flee police near the Vermont border when he flipped his white Chrysler sedan.
Dartt was charged with single counts of operating under the influence of alcohol, third offense, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to stop for police, operating without a license, marked lanes violation, following a vehicle too closely, and speeding.
According to police, a motorist called 911 to report a northbound motor vehicle operating erratically on New Ashford Road. Officers John McConnell and Preston Kelly found the Chrysler on Simonds Road and saw it tailgating and swerving in its lane.
They lit up the cruiser near the North Hoosac Road intersection to warn the driver to pull over but Dartt allegedly accelerated and failed to negotiate the corner near the Chef's Hat. The sedan struck the embankment, flipped over and came to rest on its roof. The Jaws of Life was needed to extricate Dartt.
He was arrested at the scene and taken to North Adams Regional Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. He was being held at the town lockup on $10,000 bail. His car was totaled and there were no other injuries. The road was closed for about on hour.
Editor: Yes, there were spelling errors in recording the list of charges. They have been fixed.
Original post: Jan. 26, 2012, 4:55 p.m.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A one-car rollover on Route 7 near the Vermont border halted traffic and sent at least one person to the hospital at about 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Police did not provide information at this time but said they will release information later Thursday night.
It appeared as though a white Chrysler was traveling northbound and went into the sloped bank across from the Chef's Hat restaurant and then rolled over into the southbound lane.
At least one person was seen being transported to the hospital as a result. It was unclear if there were any other cars involved or the extent of the any injuries.
Traffic on Route 7 in both directs and the northbound land of Sand Springs Road was at a standstill while emergency workers attended to the crash.
iBerkshires will update this story after the police release a statement.
Fire Forces Family From Williamstown Home
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — A smoky fire forced a local family to flee their 40 Oblong Road home on Monday.The fire was reported at about 4 p.m. by homeowner Heather Williams. Fire Chief Craig Pedercini said it took about half hour to 45 minutes to contain the blaze, which started near a woodstove in the living room.
"We had to take some ceiling down on the second floor because the fire got up through the walls and into the ceiling and spread across," said Pedercini, who added that firefighters did what they could to minimize the damage. "We covered up as much as we could [with tarps] ... when you've got a little bit of time on your side you can do that and save as much property as you can."
 Firefighters inspect the woodstove, suspected in causing the smoky fire at 40 Oblong Road on Monday. |
Williams, a member of the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee, said she saw smoke was coming out of the light fixtures and the smoke alarms went off. She called 911 then left the two-story home with her two children and the family dog. Her husband, Pat Dunlavey, was not home at the time.
Pedercini said the fire is under investigation and that he couldn't rule out electrical causes, but the woodstove likely "was involved."
There were no injuries. The tanker was parked at Oblong and Torrey Woods Road — "We got a good water supply fairly quickly," said Pedercini. Clarksburg Fire Department sent an airtruck and covered the station; Pownal, Vt., firefighters were on scene with a truck. Village Ambulance also responded.
Williams said the family would stay with friends and that preparations were being made to tarp the house.
Pittsfield Man Charged in Shooting Investigation
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Jamel Nicholson, 23, of Pittsfield had a not-guilty plea entered on his behalf in Superior Court on the single count of misleading a police officer. Judge Daniel Ford released on him personal recognizance.
Nicholson allegedly intentionally mislead officers in the Wellington Avenue shooting of Nikolas Carnute on Dec. 4, 2011. The investigation led to the arrest of 25-year-old Kurt Hudson, who was later found to have been acting in self-defense. Hudson is still facing firearm charges.
