Town of Cheektowaga police blotter

Oct. 29

DWI

George Decker, 34, of Filner Avenue, North Tonawanda was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

According to a police report, officers responded to a call of a property damage accident involving a vehicle into a pole. The vehicle was unoccupied and it was found that the owner lived in North Tonawanda. NT Police were sent to the home to find the owner and figure out who may have been operating the vehicle. NYSEG determined that the pole was completely destroyed. The offender eventually called the Cheektowaga Police Department after arriving home. The offender told police that he pulled out of Mademoiselles, rolled through a stop sign and at the last moment, observed a vehicle coming at him, so he punched the gas to avoid an accident and struck the utility pole. The offender also claimed that he fell in some water after first calling his wife for a ride, rendering his phone unusable. He also reported that he drank several beers and a shot of jack throughout the course of the day. The offender was placed under arrest and submitted to a breath test. He was booked on his charges and released on a summons.

Unlawful possession of marijuana

Christopher Leonardi, 33, of Olanta Street, Depew was arrested for unlawful possession of marijuana.

According to a police report, the offender was pulled over for having dark tinted windows. The vehicle also had an expired inspection sticker. While the officer was speaking with offender, the officer on the other side of the vehicle noticed a vial of marijuana on the floor of the backseat. The offender was arrested and taken to police headquarters.

Oct. 30

Possession of burglary tools

Mark Setlock, 51, of Fath Drive, Cheektowaga was arrested for possession of burglary tools.

According to a police report, the offender was sitting in the same parking lot of a business that officers had been called to, because the alarm system was inoperative. The officer approached the driver, who was already breathing heavy and panting. The offender told the officer that he was just sitting and catching his breath because he has asthma. The officer told the offender to stay in his vehicle while he checked the offenders drivers license. The officer observed a hammer on the rear floor behind the passenger seat and a pair of pliers and an adjustable wrench on the rear floor behind the drivers seat. Offender stated that he was just there to pick up cigarette butts from the smoking container outside the business. The officer had the K9 unit do a search of the vehicle and found marijuana inside of a tin in the map pocket on the driver’s door. The offender was booked on his charges and held to see the judge.

Oct. 31

Petit Larceny

Joseph Fisher, 23, of Allen Street, Orchard Park was arrested for petit larceny.

According to a police report, officers were dispatched to a report of shoplifting. The officers pulled over the offender at the Sam’s Club plaza and conducted a search of the vehicle. The offender admitted that he took trading cards from a store. The store employee stated that he observed the offender select the trading cards, conceal the cards in his front pocket, and head to the front of the store, without making any attempt to pay. The employee attempted to stop the offender but the offender ran away and left in his vehicle. The offender was booked, processed, and released on an appearance ticket.

Criminal possession of marijuana

Daron Baldon, 43, of Goemble Avenue, Buffalo was arrested for criminal possession of marijuana.

According to a police report, the offender was pulled over for having extremely dark tinted windows. Upon speaking with the offender, the officer observed marijuana shakers and seeds on the drivers side floor board, a marijuana shaker in the ashtray in the center cup holder, and a plastic vial containing marijuana shake in the passenger side door panel. The offender stated that he was last arrested for DWI in 2010 and that it was his only arrest. The officers found this to be untrue after looking up the offender. The offender admitted to having a couple bags of marijuana in his pocket. He then became highly agitated and argumentative and attempted to return to his vehicle. At that time officers retrieved five plastic vials of marijuana, matching the empty vial observed in the passenger side door. An additional three bags were located in the offender’s hoodie pocket. The offender was arrested and transported to police headquarters. Officers located an additional 12 bags in the rear of the police car, under the cushion. The backseat was checked prior to the officer’s tour of duty, as is done regularly at the start of the shift and there was nothing in the backseat. There was also no one in the back of the police car except for the offender, that could of placed the bags there.

Criminal possession of a controlled substance

Marquel Alexander, 24, of Dunlop Avenue, Buffalo and Nikolas Alexander, 20, of Dunlop Avenue, Buffalo were arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance.

According to a police report, the offenders were pulled over for having dark window tint. Officers asked the offenders for identification, of which both offenders could not produce. While speaking with offenders, the officer could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Marquel stated that they were both smoking marijuana earlier in the day. Upon a search of the vehicle, the officer found marijuana held in a container normally used for contact lenses. Both offenders were placed under arrest and their vehicle was towed. After a complete search of the vehicle, the officer also found crack cocaine, hidden behind the seat cushion of the vehicle.

Nov. 2

Falsely reporting an incident

Michael Patrick, 30, of Linda Drive, Cheektowaga was arrested for falsely reporting an incident.

According to a police report, the offender approached an unmarked vehicle and asked the officers inside, if they were police officers. When they told him yes, the offender became extremely excited and stated that someone was in the apartment, waving a gun around, threatening to shoot people, and holding the other people inside of the apartment at bay. As officers were attempting to get more information from the offender, the offender again claimed that the person was waving a gun around, and threatening to shoot the offender, as well as other people. The offender then stated, “He’s going crazy. You need to get in there and stop him before he shoots someone.” As officers were approaching the building, they noticed the person of interest exit the premises. The person was detained at that time and was not found to be in possession of a gun. The officers determined that the offender had falsely reported the incident and was transported to police headquarters.

Oct. 3

Criminal possession of a controlled substance

Patrick Darstein, 30, of Loraine Street, Buffalo and Natalie Wojtczak, 21, of Parker Road, Buffalo were arrested for criminal possession of a controlled substance.

According to a police report, after being pulled over, Darstein advised officers that he had two hypodermic syringes in his pocket and did not have a card authorizing him to have this property. He was then placed under arrest. Wojtczak admitted to having bags of residue, a bag of heroin, and a straw-containing residue in her shirt. The two were taken to police headquarters and booked on their charges.

Oct. 4

Grand larceny

Frederick Welch, 53, of Farragut Street, Rochester and Doncella Loyd, 49, of Hamiton Street, Rochester were arrested for grand larceny,

According to a police report, officers responded to a complaint of a female and male shoplifter in custody. The shoplifters were being held in the Lord and Taylor loss prevention office. The employee stated that he observed the offenders select merchandise and pass all points of purchase, making no attempt to pay for it. The offenders took $2,208 dollars worth of merchandise, and then took off running and then entered their vehicle located on the Jack Astor’s deck. The employees stated that Welch immediately started to fight with them, and attempted to punch them in the face. They then had to force the offender to the ground and the offender hit his face on the middle median causing a contusion on his left eye. The offenders were processed and held. The officers also located $1,000 worth of stolen property from Orvis inside the vehicle. The offenders had a screwdriver, and a pair of pliers in possession that they used to pull off the sensor tags.

A Rochester duo attempted a Bonnie and Clyde operation Sunday, Nov. 4 when they stole more than $2,000 worth of property from the Galleria Mall.

Frederick Welch, 53, of Farragut Street, Rochester and Doncella Loyd, 49, of Hamiton Street, Rochester were arrested for grand larceny. According to a police report, a Lord and Taylor employee stated that he observed the offenders select merchandise and pass all points of purchase, making no attempt to pay for it. The offenders took $2,208 dollars worth of merchandise, and then took off running and then entered their vehicle located on the Jack Astor’s deck. The employees stated that Welch immediately started to fight with them, and attempted to punch them in the face. They then had to force the offender to the ground and the offender hit his face on the middle median causing a contusion on his left eye. The offenders were processed and held. The officers also located $1,000 worth of stolen property from Orvis inside the vehicle. The offenders had a screwdriver, and a pair of pliers in possession that they used to pull off the sensor tags.