Town, Village of Lancaster Police Blotter

LANCASTER- July 4

Driving While Intoxicated (Felony)

At 3 p.m., patrol observed a 2004 Dodge Ram traveling east on Broadway in the Village of Lancaster. The vehicle failed to stay in its lane and had crossed over the center dividing line several times. The vehicle was also traveling very close along the curb on the right hand side.

Patrol initiated a traffic stop and made contact with defendant, Lawrence E. Benczkowski, 51, of Alden, who was operating the vehicle. Patrol noticed while speaking to Benczkowski that he had glassy blood shot eyes, impaired motor condition and slurred speech. He also had an odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath. Patrol conducted several field sobriety tests and Benczkowski failed.

Benczkowski was placed into custody without incident and transported to police headquarters.

At the station, Benczkowski refused to submit to a breath test. He was charged with failure to use designated lane and driving while intoxicated: previous conviction designated offense within 10 years.

Petit Larceny

The complainant, who is a loss prevention officer at the Walmart Store, located at 4975 Transit Road, observed the subject, Jasmine M. Ortiz, 17, of Depew, take a package of Feria brand hair product off the shelf and walk into another isle.

Ortiz then opened the package and removed the six bottles of hair product from the package and concealed the bottles in her purse. At this time, the complainant escorted Ortiz back to the security office and called the police.

The complainant completed an information charging Ortiz with petit larceny. Ortiz was transported to the station and was released on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to appear in town court July 26.

July 5

Criminal Sale of Marijuana

At 7:45 p.m., patrol was dispatched to a complaint of a possible drug deal in progress between a white sedan and white pick-up. Upon arrival, patrol observed a white 2001 Dodge Pickup and a white 2007 Hyundai Sedan parked on Old Post Road near Woodgate Drive with a subject standing next to the white Dodge doing a hand-to-hand transaction with the subject sitting in the driver’s seat of the pick-up.

Upon approaching the subjects in the pick-up, a strong odor of marijuana was immediately noticeable. The driver of the truck, Matthew Williams, 20, of Depew, immediately admitted to possessing marijuana under the center console of the vehicle.

After being read his Miranda Warnings and after further questioning, Williams admitted that he was in the middle of purchasing the marijuana from the subject standing next to the vehicle, Kyle Callea, 18, of Lancaster.

After being read his Miranda Warnings, Callea was questioned and stated that he and Christopher Eberhardt, 18, of Depew, who was in the white sedan, had agreed they were going to sell Williams 7.3 grams of marijuana for $100.

Callea, Eberhardt and Williams were arrested on unlawful possession of marijuana and taken to the station. Williams is set to return to town court in August. Callea and Eberhardt were released after posting $100 bail each and are set to return to town court in August.

July 7

Petit Larceny

Patrol was dispatched to a complaint of shoplifters at Walmart, 4975 Transit Road, leaving south in a 1998 Toyota Corolla occupied by a male and female suspect. Patrol responded to Walmart and spoke with the complainant, a Walmart loss prevention officer.

The complainant stated the subjects, Ronald L. Dux, 51, of Cheektowaga, and Nichole L. Gardner, 26, of Cheektowaga, entered the store at 3:49 p.m. and Gardner was only carrying a wallet.

Gardner was then seen on surveillance video carrying several items from the store. Gardner paid for only one item and Dux left the store at 3:58 p.m. carrying a black purse from the store that was not paid for.

The Cheektowaga Police Department located Dux and Gardner at Dux’s residence and notified dispatch. Gardner was in possession of a stolen purse containing additional stolen property from Walmart. Gardner stated the purse and all the items within were hers. Dux and Gardner were placed under arrest and transported to the station.

Dux was charged with petit larceny and released. Gardner was charged with possession of stolen property and released on $50 bail. Both will appear in Lancaster Town Court in August. The total of property stolen was $20.

DWAI by Drugs

At 10:45 p.m., patrol observed a gold Plymouth traveling south on Central Avenue near Pleasant Avenue signal to turn right, move into the right turning lane, and then without signaling move back into the travel lane and cross over the double yellow lines.

The vehicle then proceeded straight through the intersection and pulled into a parking spot on the street in front of Eddie Ryan’s Restaurant, where patrol initiated a traffic stop. During a conversation with the driver, Mark J. Stancampiano, 54, of Buffalo, glassy eyes, impaired speech, impaired motor coordination, the odor of an alcoholic beverage and the odor of marijuana were all immediately noticeable.

After the performance and failure of several field sobriety tests, Stancampiano was arrested for illegal station from parked position, unlawful possession of marijuana, operating a motor vehicle impaired by drugs, driving to left of pavement markings, and operator in violation of a conditional license.

The passenger of the vehicle, Dawn M. Gianadda, 47, of Tonawanda, was then asked to exit the vehicle and during a conversation, consented to a search of her purse. Inside the purse, marijuana and two elliptical pills with an “s 900” imprint found to be Alprazolam .25 mg, a schedule IV controlled substance, were discovered and Gianadda was arrested for controlled substance in non original container, unlawful possession of marijuana, and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Both subjects were transported to the station and will be appearing in village court Aug. 7.

July 8

Petit Larceny

At 9:06 p.m., patrol responded to police headquarters for a larceny complaint. Upon arrival, patrol spoke to the complainant who stated that her son, Luke Waldmiller, 17, of Lancaster, removed $100 from her work bag at their residence.

The complainant stated that when she went to get the money she noticed that it was gone. The complainant attempted to locate her son to ask him if he had taken the money, but she could not locate him. After the complainant found the location of her son, she went to pick him up. The complainant asked her son if he had taken the money in which he denied taken it and said, “prove that I took it.”

When the complainant threatened to call the police, Waldmiller admitted that he did take the money and that he purchased a bag of weed, marijuana, with it. The only money left and was returned to his mother was $13.

The complainant transported Waldmiller to police headquarters and pressed charges for petit larceny. Waldmiller was later released with a village court date scheduled in August.

July 11

Reckless Driving

At 3:30 p.m., patrol observed a red Ford traveling south on Ransom Road fail to stop for the stop sign at Ransom and Hall roads. The vehicle then turned west on Hall Road and also failed to stop for the stop sign at Ransom and Schwartz roads. The vehicle then accelerated to 79 MPH in a 45 MPH zone.

Patrol attempted to catch up to the vehicle, but after going over a hill, patrol lost sight of the vehicle. Patrol then observed the vehicle exit the driveway of 240 Ransom Road and after going back to the residence and speaking with the owner of the vehicle, patrol learned Steven M. Mcclintic, 20, of Lancaster, was the name of the operator.

Mcclintic later turned himself in at the station and was charged with reckless driving, failure to stop at a stop sign, and a speed violation. Mcclintic was released with a scheduled town court date in August.