Police News

State police arrested Zachary A. George, 20, of Grand Gorge, last Saturday after they responded to a fight in progress and encountered George, who they say was a File 5 out of the Town of Cobleskill for failing to register as a sex offender. He was transported to the Cobleskill Police Department without incident.

Julie E. O’Hara, 35, of Morris, was arrested Aug. 1 and charged with a DWI after police say they detected the odor of alcohol upon interviewing her. Upon transport to the Stamford police station, police say her blood alcohol content was found to be .13 percent. O’Hara was issued uniform traffic tickets returnable to the Town of Stamford Court on August 19.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested John R. Vannostrand, 59, of DeLancey on July 17 for failure to keep right, felony DWI and refusing to take a breath test. Vannostrand was driving on Catskill Turnpike when he was allegedly observed operating his vehicle to the left of the center of the highway. Vannostrand was immediately arraigned in the Town of Delhi Court and is to return on August 4 to answer the charges.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Vashti M. Snyder, 43, of Grand Gorge on July 10 charging her with DWI. Deputies allegedly observed the defendant driving with no headlights on after dark.

Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Johnny J. Berdoff, 42, of Downsville Wednesday charging him with second-degree burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny.

Shandaken Police arrested Lorne W. Guthrie, 43, of Big Indian and charged him with felony second-degree assault, fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and endangering the welfare of a child after they responded to a 911 call Sunday for a violent domestic dispute at a residence on Oliverea Road in Big Indian.

The Shandaken Police Department has announced the arrest of four Pine Hill residents on Tuesday and Wednesday night for numerous burglaries in the Pine Hill and Big Indian areas, which occurred between the end of May and in June. Police say that while conducting a burglary investigation which had occurred on Tuesday afternoon they located four suspects and stolen property that had been taken at another residence that had also been burglarized late Tuesday afternoon, both in the Big Indian area.

Jefferson resident Thomas B. Vitale, 21, was arrested last Sunday and charged with speeding, third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation, and no left side mirror after he was pulled over in the Town of Harpersfield. Upon running his information, police say they learned that he had a suspended license. Vitale was arraigned in the Village of Stamford and was remanded to the county jail on $500 cash bail. He is scheduled to return to the Town of Harpersfield Court on June 29.

By Brian Sweeney
A 45-year-old Andes woman faces two driving while intoxicated charges stemming from a fatal accident last December, but was not indicted for vehicular manslaughter.
Christine Arnao pleaded innocent last Thursday to charges of driving while intoxicated and aggravated DWI stemming from the accident in which Jon J. Church, 31, of Wells Bridge was killed.

State police arrested Middletown resident John H. Hamil, 36, last Saturday after they responded to a report of a domestic dispute at the home of Hamil’s live-in girlfriend, where they say the dispute escalated to Hamil’s refusing to allow the victim to leave the residence. He was arrested and charged with unlawful imprisonment and fourth-degree criminal mischief and was arraigned before the Town of Middletown Court, where an order of protection was issued and Hamil was released on recognizance to reappear on June 11.