Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Monday, Feb. 5.

 

Christopher Letalien, 34, of North Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of a Class B drug with intent to distribute, his second offense.

 

He was sentenced to two and a half years at the Berkshire County House of Correction with the last six months suspended for a probation period of two years. 

 

Letalien sold Ritalin to a North Adams police officer on December 11, 2018 after accidentally texting the officer about the drugs. 

 

Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, Feb. 6.

 

Brian Jones, 23, of North Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of permitting bodily injury to a child. 

 

He was given two years probation and ordered not to have unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 or work or volunteer as a caretaker for children.

 

Isabella Leger, 22, of North Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of permitting bodily injury to a child. 

 

She was given two years probation and ordered not to have unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 or work or volunteer as a caretaker for children. 

 

The charge was linked to an incident in North Adams on October 14, 2016. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Firefighters on Thursday responded to the third fire in a month on the north side of the city.

 

The early evening fire at 66 Harris St. forced the occupants to flee and destroyed much of the basement garage and scorched the siding above the garage door. 

 

"The guys arrived on scene and saw the fire showing from the garage door," said Fire Chief Stephen Meranti. "They were able to access it very easily and contain it to the garage. ... We have smoke damage throughout the building but it's not major."

 

The garage incurred significant damage to the materials stored inside and to the wiring. 

 

"The Sheetrock — the envelope you build for the garage — kept it in the garage area," he said. "So the building code works in separating the garage from the rest of the house."

 

The blaze extended up the south side of the single-family cape, scorching and melting the siding but not affecting the structure. 

 

Meranti said it was not yet clear what had caused the fire and that the family would not be allowed back in that night. He said they had a place to go. 

 

The incoming shift was called in to assist and the top part of Harris at the North Street intersection was closed off to traffic. The fire had been contained and firefighters were sifting through scene by 7:30 p.m.

 

This was the third house fire so far this year. A major structure fire on Jan. 7 at an apartment building on Houghton Street across from North left four families homeless; on Feb. 1, an attempt to thaw pipes with a blowtorch caused a basement fire at 129 North St. late that night. The owner and his family was able to get out of the building but the Victorian is currently uninhabitable. 

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are asking for information regarding an attempted robbery of the Lipton Mart on West Housatonic Street.

 

Police say at about 9:17 p.m. Friday night members of the department were called to the location for the reported robbery. A man had entered the building, brandished a handgun, and demanded the clerk open the register. The man left with no cash but did steal "several pieces of merchandise."

 

Police describe the suspect as standing about 5-feet-10-inches tall and wearing a red mask, dark-colored Adidas winter cap, and light colored shirt and pants. 

 

Anyone who may have information about this incident is asked to contact the Pittsfield Police Department Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A man shot by police officers during a vehicle pursuit in 2017 was found guilty on Monday of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, operating a vehicle with a suspended license, and failure to stop for an officer.

 

The jury, however, found him not guilty on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon.

 

Mark Marauszwski, 58, was sentenced on Monday morning after the jury trial to 18 months in the Berkshire County House of Correction and fined $100 for failure to stop for an officer. He was also given a six-month suspended sentence on the charge of driving with a suspended license.

 

Marauszwski was accused of striking Officer David Hallas with his car's door during a traffic stop on Bartlett Avenue in January 2017 and then driving off. He then allegedly led police on a pursuit through the city, ending in Rotary Park on Springside Avenue. 

 

The district attorney's office accused Marauszwski of driving toward Office Martin Streit there and Streit shot three bullets at the Mercedes that Marauszwski was driving. The vehicle came to a stop when it hit a cement post. The officers administered first aid to Marauszwski and he was transported to Berkshire Medical Center for one bullet wound. 

 

The District Attorney's Office later cleared Streit of any wrongdoing in the case and no charges were pursued against the officer.

 

Marauszwski denied that he struck the officer with the door and said his intention at the park was to pull over and surrender. He claimed he did not attempt to drive at the officers.

 

Deputy District Attorney Richard Dohoney argued in court that Marauszwski's attempted escape from police posed serious safety risks to the community.

 

"The top priority of the Berkshire District Attorney's Office is to keep the public safe and protect the police officers who safeguard our communities," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said in a statement released on Monday.

 

The case was the first of two officer-involved shootings in 2017. In September of 2017, Daniel Gillis was shot by officer Christopher Colello. In that case, as well, the officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A man walking his two dogs across the top of Main Street was struck by a small sedan early Monday afternoon. 

 

Although the man was standing and talking with emergency medical technicians and police officers, he was eventually taken by Northern Berkshire EMS for treatment of a shoulder injury. The two dogs, medium-to-large animals, were taken to Greylock Animal Hospital by the animal control officer to be checked out. 

 

The pedestrian was apparently crossing where a crosswalk had been taken out years ago on the eastern side of the Main, Eagle and Ashland streets intersection.

 

"They were walking across the street and the car came around the corner making a left turn off of Eagle on to Main and hit the guy while he was walking," Sgt. Albert Zoito said. The pedestrian did not appear to be seriously injured he said. "A shoulder injury at this time that is all it looks like."

 

But, he said, one of the dogs appeared to be bleeding.

 

"The dogs are being checked out," he said. "I guess one of them was bleeding a little bit and might of got hit."

 

The operator of the vehicle gave information to the police and Zoito said charges are pending.

 

North Adams Fire Department also responded.