Alexander

This is part of an old train line that went through Genesee County at one time. I found this old bridge support on Old Creek Road last year and then, over the winter, while playing around on Genesee County's GIS map, I found an old right-of-way in Le Roy that is still owned by Lehigh Valley Railroad (even though Lehigh went bankrupt in the 1950s).

I traced the one parcel I found owned by Lehigh. At one time, it went through most of the county (The right-of-ways are still all separate parcels for the most part, owned by many different people.) The railroad left a permanent scar visible from the satellite images, so it's easy to trace. The line I found passed through this section of Old Creek Road in Alexander.

UPDATE: A caller says that this railroad location was part of the Delaware-Lackawana line, which merged with the Erie Line in 1961. The merger meant this railroad line was taken out of commission. The Lehigh line, he said, is further to the north.

At least, I think this is a yellow flag iris -- that's the best identification I can do through Google. There's thousands of them off Old Creek Road, as well as other parts of the county. It's a non-native species and considered an invasive weed (it's certainly invaded Old Creek and Hunn roads), from what I found online. I got a little obsessed with getting a picture of this one particular plant around noon today -- trying different lenses, exposures, shutter speeds. This was the best I could do. 

A house basement reportedly caught fire after being struck by lightning at 9977 Seward Road in Alexander.

Alexander and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding.

UPDATE 12:42 p.m.: Darien and East Pembroke fire departments are called to the scene.

UPDATE 12:50 p.m.: The Alexander fire chief says other units can respond in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 1:27 p.m.: Darien is clearing the scene. Apparently, the fire is out.

UPDATE 1:28 p.m.: All units back in service.

Tyler Thomas Aldinger, 17, of Townline Road, Attica, is charged with criminal mischief, 3rd (more than $250 in damages), petit larceny and trespass. Tyler is accused on trespassing on property on Attica Road in Alexander and cutting up farm property and taking it for scrap. The alleged incident was reported at 12:24 p.m., Thursday. Arrested with Tyler was Daniel Joseph Ognibene, 17, of Alexander Road, Alexander. Daniel was charged with petit larceny and trespass.

Marcos A. Torres, 28, of Jackson Street, Batavia, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Torres was arrested following a traffic stop at 3 p.m. Tuesday on Route 98, Town of Batavia. Torres was jailed on $800 bail.

What I believe was the voice of a law enforcement officer came on the scanner and said, "my car's on fire."

Alexander Fire Department is being dispatched to the intersection of routes 98 and 20.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: The fire is out. The car is a Sheriff's Office patrol car.

Thomas Joseph Mitchell, 21, of Oak Street, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance (oxycodone), unlawful possession of marijuana and aggravated unlicensed operation, 3rd. Mitchell was arrested following a traffic stop at 5:45 p.m., Thursday, on State Street Road, Batavia, by Deputy Brian Thompson.

Patrick Joseph Crawford, 17, of Bridge Road, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon, 4th. Patrick was allegedly found in possession of two firearms in his vehicle while on school grounds.

Ryan Christopher Riggi, 16, of Transit Road, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 1st, menacing, 2nd, criminal mischief, 4th, and harassment, 2nd. Ryan is also accused of violating an order of protection. He was jailed on $1,000 bail. No further details were released.

Robert James Caplick III, 36, of E. Main St. Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, unreasonable speed and failure to keep right. Caplick was taken into custody by Deputy Jason Saile following a report at 2:45 a.m., Thursday, of a vehicle stuck on the Norfolk Southern railroad tracks on Spring Road, Alexander.

A two-car motor accident with minor injuries is reported at 10705 Alexander Road in Alexander.

Alexander Fire Department on scene along with Mercy medics.

UPDATE 1:15 p.m.: Patient declined medical treatment. All units back in service.

A trailer owned by an ardent Jack Davis supporter in Darien that was badly damaged in a fire on May 9 is being investigated as an arson, according to Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster.

But the torching is not considered a political act, Brewster said.

It's probably related to an April 1 fire in an unoccupied fire at 9427 Alexander Road, Alexander.

In both cases, holes were found in the floors of the trailers, which is consistent with somebody setting a fire and using an accelerant.

In both cases, no other cause -- electrical, natural gas, lightning, etc. -- could be uncovered.

"When there's nothing there that is believed to have been able to cause it to catch fire, then we have to look at possible human involvement," Brewster said.

No suspects have been identified.  

Brewster said investigators have little to go on -- no gas can left behind with finger prints, no witnesses, no physical evidence.

"Bottom line, unless you have something that connects somebody to that fire, you’re stuck," Brewster said. "It's very difficult. Arsons are very difficult."

Brewster said investigators have been canvassing the neighborhoods looking for witnesses.

He said there's no indication the owner of either trailer had somebody motivated to damage their property for personal reasons.

The May 9 fire was at 11198 Tinkham Road, Darien. The property is owned by Charlie Flagg, a local artist who had planted 5,000 Jack Davis signs in his yard.

"When you have a structure that is not being used and all the sudden it catches on fire, all the sudden your eyebrows are going to go up," Brewster said.

Anybody with information that might assist in the investigation are asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 343-5000.

A possible structure fire is reported at 3643 Dodgeson Road in Alexander. The caller reported turning on the furnace and the basement started filling with smoke.

Alexander and Town of Batavia fire departments are responding. The location is between Alexander and Wortendyke roads.

UPDATE 9:43 a.m.: A firefighter on scene reports nothing is showing.

UPDATE 9:45 a.m.: Residents say the house is now full of smoke.

UPDATE 9:49 a.m.: A firefighter says the furnace temperature gauge "reads nothing, so I don't know what we've got."

UPDATE 9:51 a.m.: A firefighter says "we're gonna hit 'em with an exhaust fan, that way we can suck some of this (smoke) out." It is advised that another responding unit come to the scene in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 10:01 a.m.: A fire chief says "if you've got interior (firefighters) send them." A crew is going to check out upstairs.

UPDATE 10:25 a.m.: The situation was deemed a possible furnace malfunction and all units are back in service.

Timothy V. Meyers, 18, of Walker Road, Darien, along with a 16-year-old from Dodgeson Road, Alexander, a 16-year-old from Centerline Road, Verysburg, and a 16-year-old from Genesee Street, Attica, are charged with petit larceny and criminal trespass. The youths, along with a 14-year-old, were stopped shortly after midnight, Sunday, allegedly removing scrap metal from the Alexander Town Transfer Station. The suspects reportedly fled the scene and were located a short time later with the help of K-9 "Pharoah" and State Troopers.

Brittany Alexis Adams, 20, of Bloomingdale Road, Basom, is charged with petit larceny. Adams is accused of shoplifting $39.84 worth of merchandise from Walmart.

Lynda B. Siplin, 57, of 65 Lakeview Park, Rochester, and Gwendolyn L. Watson, 53, of 91 Reynolds St., Rochester, are each charged with two counts of petit larceny. Siplin and Watson are accused of shoplifting more than $400 worth of merchandise from Aldi's and Dollar General. Siplin and Watson were jailed on $1,000 bail.

A 17-year-old from South Lake Road, Pavilion, is charged with petit larceny. The youth is accused of shoplifting from Walmart.

Two cars going in the opposite direction on Railroad Avenue in Alexander struck side view mirrors and the driver in one of the vehicles suffered minor cuts as a result of the accident.

Nicholas A. Antonucci, 23, of 4192 Broadway Road, Alexander, was eastbound in a 2009 Dodge pickup, and Edward R. Reiter, 58, of East Main Street, Attica, was westbound in a 1990 Ford dump truck when their mirrors struck.

Reiter suffered cuts on his arm but was not transported to a hospital.

The accident occurred at 1:06 p.m.

No citations were issued.

The accident was investigated by Deputy Chris Parker.

Earlier this week, Antonucci was charged by City Police with driving with ability impaired by drugs.

An ATV rider suffered a broken leg while riding at an ATV race track on Halstead Road, Alexander, on Saturday.

Michael A. Royce, 22, of 4073 Four Rod Road, East Aurora, was driving the ATV over a jump. When the ATV landed, Royce was ejected and the ATV landed on his right knee.

Royce was transported by ambulance to an area hospital (not identified in the report).

The accident was reported at 7:41 p.m. and was investigated by Deputy Kevin McCarthy.

Cookson Road and Old Creek Road in Alexander are closed due to high water.

Earlier today, Peaviner was reported closed.

The smell of an electrical fire is coming from an apartment at 10537 Bethany Center Road in Bethany. The building is being evacuated.

Stafford Fire and Bethany fire departments are responding.

Alexander is to stand by in its hall for possible mutual aid.

UPDATE 7:52 a.m.: Alexander fire is asked to stand down.

UPDATE 7:59 a.m.: A chief on scene reports that the basement of the building is flooded, burning out the furnace, which apparently tripped a fire alarm.

UPDATE 8:07 a.m.: Stafford fire is standing down.

A large tree is reportedly down and blocking the roadway on Dry Bridge Road near Sandpit Road, Alexander.