State Police Apprehend Maine Fugitive at Goose Pond

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State and local police and K9 Emma travel on Goose Pond.
BECKET, Mass. — State and local police apprehended a fugitive from Maine on Tuesday who had fled to a cabin on Goose Pond after wrecking his vehicle.
 
Diego Martinez, 30, of Sabattus, Maine, was arrested on extraditable warrants for his failure to appear in court on illegal drug and firearm possession offenses, as well as for criminal motor vehicle offenses.
 
At approximately 7 a.m. Tuesday, troopers from the Lee and Westfield barracks responded to numerous calls reporting a single-vehicle crash on Route 90 eastbound in Becket. 
 
Witnesses reported that a man exited the vehicle after crashing and fled the scene on foot. Martinez was identified as the likely operator of the crashed vehicle. 
 
Troopers immediately enlisted the assistance of the State Police K9 Unit and Air Wing, state Environmental Police, Becket Police and a K9, and Lee Police in order to search the area.
 
Law enforcement teams scouted the woods for several miles on Tuesday.
 
At approximately 12:30 p.m., troopers received information that Martinez may have been in the area of Goose Pond, at which point numerous troopers and officers converged on the area.
 
Becket Police Chief Kristopher McDonough transported troopers and MSP K9 Emma on a boat to the area while numerous other troopers and officers walked along trails in order to approach from multiple angles.
 
At approximately 8:30 p.m., they converged on a cabin at Goose Pond. Members of the search team observed the suspect on the front porch of the cabin. K9 Trooper Norman Stanikmas, Emma's handler, issued warnings that Emma would be deployed to apprehend the suspect if he did not surrender, while he and other troopers and local police officers advanced toward the porch 
 
Martinez surrendered without incident and was placed into custody. He was transported by boat to a state police cruiser and transported to the Lee barracks for booking. He was ordered to be held without bail pending his appearance at Southern Berkshire District Court in North Adams. He is expected to be extradited to Maine. where he will be brought before a judge for the aforementioned warrants.
 
Multiagency cooperation was instrumental in placing Martinez under arrest.
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Landing at Laurel Lake Celebrates Renovations

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

The stovetops were removed from some of the kitchenettes as safety measures. 
LEE, Mass. — The Landing at Laurel Lake has made renovations to its assisted living building to better help residents continue living with some independence.
 
Some of the changes include carpet removal, shifting tubs to walk-ins, and taking out some stovetops. 
 
The Landing hosted an open house last Thursday for the community to come in and see the renovations.
 
"It's really bringing people in to see the renovations so they know that we have something really cool in our community," said Executive Director Matthew Pinto, a dementia specialist who was hired about six months ago.
 
"The importance of the new renovations is to modernize some things to make it simpler for them. Like the rooms, we are trying to do away with the transitions in the rooms for people that have wheelchairs."
 
Residents sometimes had trouble with the carpeting if using a walker or wheelchair, it's easier for some to walk into their shower, and the stovetops would sometimes be left on. 
 
Pinto said the residents had a hand in the renovations, like helping choose paint colors and what they would like the facility change, which will help future residents with their stays.
 
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