Staff Reports
Niagara Falls
• ARREST: A Falls man was arrested Wednesday after a citizen complaint of marijuana dealing in the area of 19th and Niagara streets. Christopher A. Ripley, 26, 1967 Niagara St., Apt. 23, was charged with first-degree loitering and unlawful possession of marijuana. Police said they received a complaint of a man selling pot in the area and when they responded they found Ripley, who had a paper bag containing seven small packets of pot.
Pendleton
• LARCENY: An employee of Budget Car Rental on South Transit Road reported Tuesday that a man rented a 24-foot truck July 24 and has not yet returned it. The truck, a 2002 GMC, is worth about $45,000, the report said.
• LARCENY: A manager of the Tonawanda Sportsman Club on Killian Road reported Saturday that two witnesses had told her they’d seen three men pull up to the club in an SUV about 11:21 p.m. The witnesses said one men ran behind the business and returned with something “big and long” in his arms. He got into the SUV and the men drove away, the report said. The manager said a “President Parking Only” sign, worth about $125, had been stolen. She told deputies she believed one of the suspects may have been an employee. Later that day, the manager called deputies to report the employee had admitted to taking the sign and had been fired. The men returned the sign and the manager did not wish to press charges, the report said.
• LARCENY: A Colony Court man reported Tuesday that someone stole two credit cards from his wallet earlier this month and charged $1,595 worth of purchases at several locations.
Wilson
• DWI: Steven M. Skorik, 43, 612 Lake St., was charged Sunday with DWI and speeding after he crashed his motorcycle on Lake Street. Deputies responded to the report of a crash about 1:50 a.m. Skorik was transported by ambulance to Inter-Community Memorial Hospital for treatment of minor injuries to his arm and hand. Volunteer firefighters at the scene told deputies that unknown individuals had come to the scene and removed the motorcycle. Skorik refused a blood test and was released from the hospital. After making several phone calls, deputies located the motorcycle and it was brought to the Wilson Fire Hall to be towed, the report said. Deputies brought Skorik home as part of an agreement for his help in locating the motorcycle, the report said.
Wheatfield
• LARCENY: An employee of Penetradar Corp. on Niagara Falls Boulevard reported Tuesday that someone stole an aluminum antenna structure, antenna brass, cable sets, a can of brass cutoffs and spools of wire from the business. The items are worth about $18,150, the report said.
City of Lockport
• ASSAULT: James C. Barone Jr., 21, 2672 Grace Ave., Newfane, was charged Tuesday evening with third-degree assault. Barone allegedly fought with a Transit Road man outside their place of work on Park Avenue. The man told police they were arguing about something that happened at work, and Barone tripped him and head-butted him, causing him to fall to the ground. The man said Barone punched him in the face and left the scene. The man was treated on-scene by city fire personnel who determined that a cut under his eye needed stitches, the report said. The man said he would drive himself to the hospital. While officers were taking the victim’s statement, Barone came back to the scene and was arrested, the report said. He was held in lieu of $240 bail.
Town of Lockport
• LARCENY: An employee of MCD Plumbing on Tonawanda Creek Road reported Tuesday that overnight, someone entered a storage trailer and stole seven boxes of copper fittings, three lengths of 3-inch copper pipe and three lengths of 2-inch copper pipe. The copper is worth about $3,100, the report said.
Newfane
• DWI: Brian T. Hughes, 37, 6083 East Ave., was charged Saturday with driving while intoxicated, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and equipment violations after an 8:35 p.m. traffic stop on Lockport-Olcott Road. Hughes allegedly told deputies he thought it was 10:30 p.m. or 11 p.m., and that he’d had four beers at 10 p.m. before driving. He allegedly failed several field sobriety tests but refused a breath test. He was held in lieu of $750 bail.
