Troy E. Ward II, 24, and Angel L. Rivera, 44, who both listed their addresses as the streets of Amherst, were arrested Thursday on charges of breaking and entering. Police received a report at 9:30 a.m. that they had been seen inside a house on Hobart Lane.
Three break-ins to apartments and a motor vehicle were reported Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning. The apartment break-ins were reported about 4:30 a.m. Thursday at Puffton Village and about 1:55 p.m. Wednesday at Village Park Apartments. The motor vehicle break-in was reported about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday on North Whitney Street.
Police responded to a disturbance about 4:15 p.m. Wednesday after police said a visitor threatened staff at the office of Dr. Katherine Atkinson on Research Drive. A man entered the office, police said, and told staff he would go “all Orlando” on them because they would not accept his insurance. The man was removed from the building and issued a no-trespassing order.
Benjamin Solomon Bolivar, 37, of 129 Pleasant St., Apt. 51, was arrested at 5:30 p.m. Thursday for having an open container of alcohol on city streets, after he was seen drinking from a 25-ounce can of Bud Light Mixxtail Hurricane in an alley on Kirkland Avenue.
Police investigated Thursday a reported theft via computer scam. A woman who lives on Park Hill Road told police she had gotten a computer from a friend in October. When she turned on the computer, it alerted her to a virus and gave her a phone number to call. The person answering the call told the caller she could pay $299 to get rid of the virus, which she did by using a credit card. Police said it was not clear if she had given her credit card information, but her account shows another charge of $299. Police said the victim has canceled her card.
Maxwell R. Hickle, 24, of Louisville, Kentucky, was arrested around 2:10 a.m. Thursday on charges of operating while under the influence of liquor and violating marked lanes. An officer stopped Hickle’s vehicle on Easthampton Road after he was observed swerving and crossing traffic lines. Hickle told the officer he had consumed “several” beers at a downtown bar, and failed field sobriety tests.
A 37-year-old man reported to police at 1:33 a.m. Thursday that while he was panhandling on Strong Avenue another man scooped out $10 in cash from his collection can. The thief was described as 5 feet 6 inches and between the ages of 28 and 30.
A caller reported about 6:55 p.m. Monday that a man in a black Fiat was taking photos near the Jackson Street School, 120 Jackson St. When someone confronted the man, who was driving with a woman passenger, and asked what he was doing, he drove away, police said.
Police responded to a two-car accident about 8:45 p.m. Monday on Locust Street. The cars were westbound when one hit the rear of the other, causing more than $1,000 in damage, Sgt. Greg Korepta said. One passenger sustained a slight shoulder injury from her seat belt, but she did not go to the hospital. No citations were issued, and the accident remains under investigation.
Edwardo V. Vega, 32, who lists his address as the streets of Northampton, was arrested just after 6 p.m. June 12 on Lincoln Avenue during a traffic stop. An officer followed Vega after the man was observed driving — while looking down in his lap — about 15 mph on Route 9. As the officer continued to follow Vega, the man was observed straddling road lines. When he was stopped, Vega told the officer he did not have a license or proper registration for the vehicle, police said. When Vega was asked to step out of his vehicle, he knocked over a Dunkin’ Donuts cup, spilling beer onto the driver’s side floor. Additionally, the officer found two small bottles of vodka and tequila in Vega’s pocket. The officer also noted that Vega had bloodshot eyes and was moving slowly. He refused refused field sobriety tests and was subsequently arrested, police said. Vega was charged with operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, driving with a suspended license, violating marked lanes and possessing an open container of alcohol.
High winds between noon and 12:30 p.m. June 12 caused several trees to fall in Northampton, damaging cars and blocking roads. A tree branch reportedly blocked the roadway at 15 Brierwood Drive and 425 Ryan Road in Florence but had been moved when police arrived. A fallen tree that blocked the road at 7 Eastern Ave. also caused front-end damage to an unoccupied vehicle and disrupted telephone and cable wires. A tree fell on a transformer at 113 Brierwood Drive and 184 Acrebrook Drive in Florence. Another tree landed on a house and wires at 32 Fort St.
Stephen Salvatore Leone, 29, of 15 Rural Lane, Florence, was arrested at 2:04 a.m. June 12 at the junction of 3 Prince St. and 31 Chapel St. on charges of operating while under the influence of liquor, speeding, and a defective brake light violation. Police said Leone was observed driving the vehicle at 40 mph in a 20-mph zone on West Street. Leone failed field sobriety tests, according to the police.
Police responded to a report of vandalism at the former Northampton Rehabilitation nursing home at 737 Bridge Road at 4:10 p.m. June 11. A two-foot section of glass was broken at the front of the building, and police said there are no suspects.
James W. Lavalley, 27, of Chester, was arrested about 1:30 a.m. June 11 on Maple Street in Florence on charges of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and operating while using a cell phone.
A 29-year-old man from Hadley faces charges after police said he was involved in a single-vehicle crash at Walnut and Market Streets at 11:09 p.m. June 10. Police said the man was traveling west on Walnut Street at a high rate of speed and was unable to stop as he neared Market Street, traveling over the curb, across the sidewalk, and through a wooden fence. The vehicle stopped after hitting a tree. The driver reported no injuries. There was an estimated $1,000 in property damage, police said.
Kathleen R. King, 68, of Springfield, was cited for failure to use care in turning at 12:16 p.m. June 10 after her vehicle struck another while both were turning east onto Barrett Street. Both vehicles ended up on a sidewalk. Police said there was about $1,000 in combined damage to the vehicles. A passenger in the second vehicle was transported to Cooley Dickinson Hospital with minor injuries.