Le Roy

Willis Floyd Miller Jr., 59, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. He was arrested on April 18 and arraigned in Pembroke Town Court at 4:30 p.m. for allegedly stealing tools belonging to his former employer on Dec. 5 on Genesee Street in Pembroke. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Pembroke Town Court again on April 30. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Elizabeth Rose George, 28, of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is charged with: unauthorized use of a vehicle; leaving the scene of a property damage accident; and moving from lane unsafely. George was arrested on April 18. It is alleged that she drove a vehicle on April 18 without the owner's consent and that she was subsequently involved in an accident at 5:13 a.m. on Bloomingdale Road. It is also alleged that she left the scene of the accident. George was issued traffic tickets and released on appearance tickets. The defendant is due in Alabama Town Court on May 8 to answer the charges. The case was handled by Deputy Travis DeMuth, assisted by Deputy Joshua Brabon.

Brandon Eugene Matteson, 25, of Ellicott Street Road, Pavilion, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree harassment. Following a domestic incident that occurred at 7:56 a.m. on April 17 on Ellicott Street Road in Pavilion, Matteson was arrested and arraigned at 11:41 p.m. on April 17 in Le Roy Town Court. He was jailed in lieu of $500 cash or $3,000 bond. Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Eric Meyer handled the case, assisted by NYS Police.

Press release:

As part of a $40 million capital improvement program, Tops Friendly Markets is investing back into a number of its stores with several major floor-to-ceiling interior renovations and updated exterior facades, landscaping, and parking lots. These stores will remain open during their respective renovation projects so as not to inconvenience shoppers.

One of the six stores to be renovated during phase one is in Genesee County -- the Le Roy store at 128 W. Main St. When the renovation is complete, there will be a Grand Reopening at the store at 11 a.m. on July 16.

Stores will be remodeled to provide customers with a warm, inviting atmosphere that highlights the fresh departments. Shoppers will find an expansion of Tops’ produce, bakery, and deli/carry out café areas as well as finding a wide selection of natural and organic and gluten-free offerings conveniently integrated throughout the main aisles.

New flooring, energy efficient equipment, cart corrals, shopping carts, as well as a whole new interior décor will give stores a refreshed and vibrant appearance.

“Throughout our stores, shoppers will see expanded refrigerated produce allowing for more variety and convenience, new offerings including an in store cut fruit and vegetable program, and an increase of antibiotic-free meat and seafood selections,” said John Persons, president and chief operating officer. “We’re also looking to bring a new coffee shop and comfortable sit-down area to a few of our locations which is an exciting addition for our shoppers.”

Additionally Tops is aggressively investing in its stores by rolling out new services where customers can shop online for store pick up, without even getting out of their cars, or have their groceries delivered to their homes or businesses in as little as an hour.

“By the end of May 2019 Tops will have 20 stores that will offer grocery pickup service to its customers with expansion into our other major markets on the horizon,” said Persons. “When we create an even more exceptional shopping experience and help make grocery shopping simple, friendly and easy, our shoppers benefit at the end of the day.”

The first phase of renovations are already underway at the Tops locations noted below with Grand Reopening events already earmarked on the calendar.

The other locations to be renovated during phase one are in, respectively: Elmira, Saranac Lake, Cheektowaga, Alden, and on Sheridan Drive in Buffalo.

Additionally Tops is pursuing more stores for renovations for phase two of the program and are currently in the planning and permitting process. These stores will be named at a later date.

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Tops Markets LLC is headquartered in Williamsville and operates 159 full-service supermarkets with five additional franchise stores and is the largest private, for-profit employer in Western New York.

As a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, Northern Pennsylvania, and Western Vermont, and with the support of 14,000 associates, at the core of our mission is to help our communities flourish.

We support programs that seek to eradicate hunger and disease; promote the education of our youth; and to ensure we reduce environmental waste and energy consumption while providing our customers with sustainably sourced, high quality products. For more information, visit www.topsmarkets.com

A possible fire is reported at 18 Genesee St., Apt. 5 E, in the Le Roy Meadows Apartments. Smoke is reported in the building. Le Roy fire and ambulance are responding along with the city ladder unit.

Caledonia Fire Department is on standby. Everyone is out of the structure, but firefighters on scene are unable to make entry and request a second alarm.

Bergen and Pavilion are called along with a fast team out of Mumford. Stafford to fill in at Le Roy station.

UPDATE 4:43 a.m.: The second alarm is canceled. Fire is extinguished, per command. Ventilating structure.

Law enforcement has been dispatched to the I-490 in Le Roy for a report of a car traveling eastbound in the westbound lane.

Monroe County has been notified.

UPDATE 6:41 p.m.: Law enforcement is out with the vehicle near mile marker 6 in Churchville. There's no need for EMS. Her husband is coming to pick her up.

An injured turkey was reported in the area of 8100 Lake Road, Le Roy, this morning.

A deputy was dispatched.

Dispatcher: "The caller reports this appears to be a fowl situation."

The deputy responded and reported negative contact with any turkeys.

NOTE: This call actually came in at about 7:45 a.m. but we couldn't post it because our site was offline. Our site was offline because Facebook went offline and a service that allows readers to share stories on Facebook caused our site to stop responding to requests.

Iszon C. Richardson is indicted for the crime of second-degree burglary, a Class C violent felony. It is alleged that on Dec. 17 Richardson entered a dwelling unlawfully on Jackson Street in the City of Batavia with the intention of committing a crime. In counts two and three, he is accused of first-degree criminal contempt, a Class E felony, for allegedly intentionally violating a stay away order of protection by being in the presence of the protected party and subjecting them to physical contact or attempting or threatening to do so on Dec. 17. In count four, he is accused of attempted assault in the third degree, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly striking the protected party in the face. In count five, he is accused of another count of second-degree burglary for allegedly entering the same dwelling on Dec. 20. In counts six and seven, he is accused of two more counts of first-degree criminal contempt for allegedly intentionally violating a stay away order of protection by being in the presence of the protected party on Dec. 20 and subjecting them to physical contact or attempting or threatening to do so. In count eight, Richardson is accused of second-degree unlawful imprisonment for allegedly restraining the protected party on Dec. 20. In count nine, the defendant is accused of criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation, a Class A misdemeanor, by allegedly applying pressure on the victim's neck. In count 10, he is accused of second-degree burglary for allegedly entering the same dwelling on Dec. 20 on a second occasion. In counts 11 and 12, he is accused of first-degree criminal contempt for allegedly intentionally violating a stay away order of protection by being in the presence of the protected party on Dec. 20 and on Dec. 16. In count 13, Richardson is accused of first-degree criminal contempt for allegedly intentionally violating a stay away order of protection by being in the presence of the protected party and subjecting them to physical contact or attempting or threatening to do so on Dec. 16.

Shane C. Anthony and Robert N. Pragle are indicted for the crime of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, a Class D felony. It is alleged that on some time between Jan. 2 and Jan. 3 in the Town of Le Roy that the defendants knowlingly possessed stolen property with a value that exceeded $3,000. In count two, they are accused of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a Class A misdemeanor, for allegedly possessing crack cocaine.

Proposed changes to farm labor practices in New York would likely destroy the state's agriculture industry, with a spill-over effect on many other businesses in local communities, and ultimately lead to families getting out of farming, a group of local farms said Wednesday at a press conference at Stein Farms in Le Roy.

The farmers gathered to raise concerns about the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act now making its way through the New York State Legislature.

"We're at the point I think where this has the potential to be the single greatest economic devastating effect on agriculture in New York in my lifetime," said Dale Stein, senior partner at Stein Farms.

The bill's chief sponsor and supporter, Sen. Jessica Ramos, from Queens, is in Batavia today, as a guest of Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer, to meet with area farmers and listen to their concerns. The press conference was called in advance of that meeting so farmers could share their concerns with the broader public.

"We just aren't heard now very well by Downstate And it's not they're not good people and don't care. They do. Our people want to work. They don't want 40 hours a week. They don't want eight hours a day as my staff tell me. I don't want to sit home and watch TV. I'd rather come and work. We offer them extra hours if they want they come and work. They don't want us at home. They want to make all the money they can."

Stein, along with Jeff Toussaint, an Albion farmer, and Jim Starowitz, a farm employee in Byron, not only talked about the potential costs of the bill, which would institute new overtime rules, reduce weekly working hours, and other regulatory burdens for farms, but also how unnecessary the bill is because of laws already in place, the above-minimum-wage pay scales in place at farms now, and the desire of farm workers to work while there's money to be made.

The bill would also allow farm workers to join labor unions.

"I'm here to tell you that apples are a perishable crop and I can't emphasize that enough," Toussaint said. "They have to be harvested on time. If apples are left in the orchard too long they become soft and we're unable to store them. In just a matter of a few days of becoming overripe, they can lose 50 to 75 percent of their original value. A strike during harvest season would ultimately be catastrophic."

Starowitz said the increased costs associated with the bill would eventually put a lot of farm workers out of work.

"The costs are an additional $200,000 a year," Starowtiz said. "That equates to an extra $32 a tonne (aka metric ton), or almost a thousand dollars an acre. If all states where there are growers are on the same level, we could pass our cost along like every other business.

"But this is a state law that puts us in a noncompetitive position with other states. It increases labor cost and over time we will be no longer able to raise our vegetables. We'll have to move to a row-crop-only business or close our doors."

Maureen Torrey, co-owner of Torrey Farms, joined the conversation and said besides making it harder for her to compete nationally, the proposed changes will also make it harder to attract farm labor to New York.

"We have a limited pool even of visa workers," Torrey said. "They're going to go work where they can get a minimum of 60 hours or more."

The sound of music will still be heard in Le Roy in the coming school year despite concerns that rippled through choral classes that the Central School District Board of Trustees wanted to scale back the program.

In fact, school officials hit all the right notes in a boardroom packed with music students and parents who came to Tuesday's meeting in response to rumors that a chorus teaching position would be eliminated in the proposed 2019-20 budget.

Board President Jackie Whiting told the group that just as there are six teachers in the music department now, there will be six music teachers at the elementary and middle school/high school next year.

Rather than cutting position, the district is adding the equivalent of two and a half teachers, if the budget is approved by voters, in 2019/20, including a special education teacher specializing in reading for first- and second-graders, and a teacher for business education classes (such as computer science, career and finance, advertising and marketing, and accounting).

Superintendent Merritt Holly indicated that the concerns about the music department seemed to stem from a thorough and exhausting budget process that had the budget and finance committee asking a lot of hard questions about what should stay and what should go and what should be added in the coming school year.

"In our conversations we looked at every area inside this budget to provide a program that is, number one, fiscally responsible, and number two, moves up the level of our students up so they can compete, not only in our region, not just in Western New York and Upstate, but across the country and, in fact, as part of the global economy," Holly said.

Like many school boards, Le Roy's allows a forum for public comment early in its agenda and then the public is not given a chance to speak during board discussions of actual agenda items. So before budget came up for board discussion and the members in attendance actually knew no teachers were being eliminated from the music department, four people stood before the board and made their case for retaining a full complement of music teachers.

Speakers include Rita Pencilla, representing the Music Boosters, Megan Privatera, a senior, Aubry Puccio, an elementary school student, and Matthew Austin, a parent.

They all made points about the importance of music to education, the role music plays in shaping students and improving their grades and test scores, and the importance of Le Roy's music programs to the community.

"We have a large number of students who go on to study music or participate in music after graduation," Pencilla said. "This pattern shows that we are cultivating talent and these students need solid foundations in music before graduating."

She added later, "Many studies support the importance of music education and how it improves language and reasoning skills, and the spatial intelligence needed to solve advanced mathematics problems. Students involved in music education are more successful on standardized tests and get better grades."

Austin admitted he's tone deaf and owns the largest collection of guitars of anybody who can't play guitar, but said he's amazed by the progress he sees over the years of students advancing through the district's music programs.

"I’ve really come to appreciate the teachers because they’re here all the time," Austin said. "They give and they give and they give. They’re not just creating singers or dancers or players. They’re creating future citizens that are going to rock the world."

Before telling those in attendance that the budget did not include music department staff cuts, Whiting explained a bit about the budget process.

"None of the decision making is random," she said. "It’s not rash, and it definately involves our staff. They are the key to what happens here, too. In discussions with staff, scenarios may be thrown out, what if we did this, what if we changed that, what if we thought about this. What would it look like if we had one less staff? And that was a discussion that brought all of you people here today. But it was part of a discussion where there is a lot of options."

The proposed budget is $25,909,998, which is $710,770 more than the current fiscal year.

The state's cap on property tax levies would allow the district to increase its local levy 3.45 percent, said Business Manager Brian Foeller. The district is proposing a tax levy increase of 2.89 percent.

The actual proposed budget has not yet been made available to the public yet but there is a vote scheduled for May 2.

Among the highlights outlined by Holly and staff at Tuesday's meeting is the addition of a reading specialist for first- and second-graders.

"If we don’t have students ready to go at grade level by third grade, then we're fighting an uphill battle in math," Holly said.

He gave credit to Wolcott Principal Carol Messura for advocating for the position, even while he pushed back and challenged her on the need.

"Early intervention is the key and we just do not have enough staff to support that early intervention need down in the primary house," Messura said. "With the addition of a reading teacher, my focus will be my first and second grade. It will make a difference."

High School Principal Tim McArdle made the case for increasing the business instructor core from the equivalent of one and a half teachers to three.

"We've been very methodical with business and allowed the data to speak for itself," McArdle said. "We've looked at the number of students who are interested and who are going to college in this field. We're up now to 140 students for the third straight year, up from below 100, the upper 90s, in previous years."

One piece of consistent feedback alumni give is that they wish there had been more computer science instruction available when they were in school and that every student should take the career/finance course.

McArdle said he hopes to see 90 percent of the graduates with that course on their transcripts.

Holly said he felt now is the right time to expand what the school offers to juniors and seniors in business instruction.

"We’re ready right now to make that next step for our students in offering an elective set at the junior and senior level that I would put up against anybody in our region pound for pound with our student enrollment," Holly said.

Matthew Austin speaking.

Jackie Whiting at the head of the table.

Merritt Holly, superintendent.

At the start of the meeting, Josh Englerth was recognized for his Section V title in wrestling.

A combination of an unusual set of circumstances, DNA technology and old-fashioned police work led to the arrest of 25-year-old Le Roy resident Patrick J. Gonzales by the Le Roy Police Department.

This arrest announced today allegedly solves a two-year-old burglary, which occurred at 1:58 a.m. on March 16, 2017 on Lake Street in the Village.

The burglary occurred when a person entered the victim's building and stole a safe and other items. At the time of the burglary, the alarm activated but the police were accidentally sent to a neighboring business. Because of this error, the patrols found no burglary and were sitting on Wright Avenue talking when a person allegedly identified as Gonzales walked by them, eastbound on Wright Avenue toward Route 19.

The police recognized Gonzales but had no cause to stop him. Once the patrols were advised they were sent to the wrong business, they checked the correct business and located the burglary along with a fresh set of footprints in the snow eventually leading to a wooded area. The footprints were followed and led to the discovery of both the stolen safe and what appeared to be the perpetrator's jacket buried in the snow.

Both were recovered and the footprints were again followed, which led to the same location and direction on Wright Avenue that Gonzales was seen traveling earlier. The footprints led toward a rooming house on Lake Street, in which Gonzales was living at the time. The same footprints were then found on the property of the rooming house.

Eventually enough cause was developed to petition Gonzales to appear in Genesee County Court for a court-ordered DNA test, which was granted in July of 2018. The DNA was secured and compared to DNA evidence found in the jacket buried in the snow and allegedly matched.

During the investigation, Gonzales left New York State twice but returned the first time to surrender his DNA and then returned this past time to turn himself into the Le Roy Police Department and face the charges.

Gonzales was charged with one count each of the Class D felonies of burglary in the third degree and grand larceny in the third degree. He was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Paul Orrie Doctor Jr., 45. of Council House Road, Tonawanda Indian Reservation, was arrested at 5:45 p.m. on April 4 and charged with third-degree criminal tampering. It is alleged that he threw a bag of feces onto a vehicle belonging to another person, causing "a substantial inconvenience." The incident allegedly occurred on Bloomingdale Road. He was issued an appearance ticket for Alabama Town Court and is due there at 6 p.m. on April 24. The case was investigated by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Kyle Krzemien.

Tareq Fouad Saleh, 30, of Plymouth Avenue, Buffalo, is charged with: possessing more than 10,000 unstamped cigarettes; fourth-degree criminal tax fraud; speeding; and not wearing a seat belt -- a violation. He was arrested at 9:22 p.m. on April 3 on Alleghany Road in Pembroke following a traffic stop for speeding. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy James Stack, assisted by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Krystal Lee Frye, 29, of West Main Street, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree grand larceny -- credit card. She was arrested and will be arraigned on April 9 on the charge following an investigation into a stolen wallet. The incident allegedly occurred at 7:40 a.m. on April 1 at an apartment on Maple Street in the city. Frye was released on an appearance ticket. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Andrea Marie Gray, 41, of West Main Street Road, Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. On April 4 at 3:19 p.m., Gray was arrested at the Genesee County Courts Facility for allegedly engaging in a physical altercation with a male. She was arraigned and released on her own recognizance and is due in Batavia City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Heyward Clark Jr., 54, of Locust Street, Lockport, was arrested on April 6 on two Batavia City Court warrants after he was identified as a passenger in a vehicle during a traffic stop. He is charged with third-degree burglary -- entry with intent to commit a crime, petit larceny, and criminal mischief -- intent to damage property. The charges stem from an incident on School Street in Batavia at 10 p.m. on Oct. 27, 2016. Clark was jailed without bail and is due back in Batavia City Court at a later date. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Quider, assisted by Officer Nicole McGinnis.

Daniel S. Carpenter, 30, of Hickory Manor Drive, Rochester, is charged with: driving while intoxicated as a misdemeanor; moving from lane unsafely; and having alcohol in a motor vehicle. Carpenter was arrested at 10:27 a.m. on April 6 following a one-vehicle rollover crash on Route 19 in the Town of Le Roy. He suffered minor injuries and was released on appearance tickets for Le Roy Town Court. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Walter T. Snell, 31, of Walnut Street, Batavia, is charged with failure to appear. He was arrested at 5:45 p.m. on April 5 on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court for failing to appear in court. He was jailed in lieu of $1,000 bail and is to return to city court on April 10. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Miah Stevens, assisted by Officer Mitchell Cowen.

Dustin Wyatt Albrecht, 24, of Jay Street, Phelps, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and having no restraint system for a backseat passenger between the ages of 4 to 6. Albrecht was arrested at 4:25 p.m. on April 7 on Alleghany Road in Pembroke following a traffic checkpoint. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Pembroke Court at a later date. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

A rollover accident, unknown injuries, is reported in the area of 9234 Warsaw Road, Le Roy.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

Le Roy PD arriving on scene.

UPDATE 10:31 a.m.: Law enforcement on scene reports one person stuck in the vehicle, uninjured.

This week The Greens of Le Roy senior assisted living facility announced that it has been acquired by St. Ann's Community, a leading provider of senior housing and health services in Rochester with a 134-year history there.

New signage and papwerork will display its new name, St. Ann's Community at The Greens.

Day-to-day operations will continue as they have and Director Kim Pasquale will continue as the day-to-day point of contact person. The St. Ann's finance team will contact residents and their families soon and provide a new W-9 form.

A letter to stakeholders from officials says: "By bringing together The Greens of Le Roy with St. Ann's Community, we benefit from out collective histories, values and missions to provide residents with the best quality of life.

"It quickly became apparent after working together, that our organization becoming one will enhance our abiluty to serve seniors."

The announcement was made by Michael E. McRae, president and CEO of St. Ann's Community, and A. John Bartholomew, president of Bartholomew Healthcare Group.

St. Ann Community is headquartered at 1500 Portland Ave. in Rochester.

Dorsie J. McGill Jr., 34, of Quaker Hill Road, Elba, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief, and second-degree criminal trespass. McGill was arrested at 4:14 p.m. on March 31 on North Spruce Street, Batavia, after allegedly arriving at the home of a family member and kicking the front door in and entering the residence without permission. After arraignment in Batavia City Court, he was jailed in lieu of $1,500 cash or bond. He was due back in court on April 1. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Stephen Cronmiller, assisted by Officer Matthew Wojtaszczyk.

Ryan James Wetsell, 25, address unspecified, of Batavia, is charged with second-degree harassment. At 9:30 p.m. on March 28, he allegedly grabbed another person and struck them in the face while at a hotel on Federal Drive in Batavia. He was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia Town Court on April 22. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy David Moore, assisted by Deputy Kevin Forsyth.

Paula A. Cipro, 51, of Tracy Avenue, Batavia, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree -- use of a stolen credit card, and petit larceny. Cipro was arrested following an investigation into the use of a stolen credit card at Northside Deli. The alleged incident occurred at 1:01 p.m. on March 21. She was released on an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court on April 9 to answer the charges. The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Jason Ivison.

Christine A. Wark, 34, of School Street, Le Roy, was arrested April 1 at 4:32 p.m. on a bench warrant out of Batavia City Court. She allegedly failed to appear in court on Nov. 28 on two misdemeanor traffic charges. She was arraigned and released under supervision of Genesee Justice and was due back in court today (April 3). The case was handled by Batavia Police Officer Christopher Lindsay.

Shawn W. Cross, 48, of Le Roy, is identified as the man who suffered a severe head injury following an incident late Saturday afternoon in which he exited a moving vehicle on Lake Street in the Village of Le Roy. He remains in critical condition at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester.

The driver, Lorie A. Litolff, 57, of Craigie Street, Le Roy, is accused of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident, a felony.

She is also charged with DWI, failure to report an accident with injuries, driving without an ignition interlock device, and failure to submit to a breath test.

Litolff was jailed on $10,000 bail.

Several witnesses were interviewed and Le Roy police believe Litolff and the victim were engaged in a verbal argument prior to the man exiting the vehicle.

When he exited, according to witnesses, he lost his balance and fell, striking the pavement, which is the cause of at least some of Cross's injuries.

For previous coverage, click here.

For initial post, click here.

Our news partner WBTA contributed to this report.

Lorie A. Litolff, 57, of Craigie Street, Le Roy, has been accused of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident following an incident on Lake Street, Village of Le Roy, at 5:05 p.m. Saturday where a man exited a moving vehicle and suffered a head injury.

The charge of leaving the scene of a serious injury accident is a felony.

She is also charged with DWI, failure to report an accident with injuries, driving without an ignition interlock device, and failure to submit to a breath test.

Litolff was jailed on $10,000 bail.

The name of the victim has not been released and there's no current information available on his condition.

The investigation is being led by Sgt. Emily McNamara, who reports that police have yet to determine why the victim exited the vehicle while it was moving but believe he did so voluntarily. 

Several witnesses were interviewed and police believe Litolff and the victim were engaged in a verbal argument prior to the man exiting the vehicle.

When he exited, according to McNamara, he lost his balance and fell, striking the pavement, which is the cause of at least some of the victim's injuries.

After the victim exited the vehicle, witnesses said the dark-colored, small SUV continued northbound on Lake Street.

Witness descriptions helped police identify and locate the vehicle. Litolff is accused of driving the SUV at the time of the incident, which occurred in the area of 78 Lake St.

Multiple witnesses attempted to render first aid to the victim. He was transported to an area hospital by Mercy Flight.  

Le Roy ambulance and Le Roy fire assisted at the scene.

Previously: Man reported to fall out of vehicle on Lake Street, Le Roy

Top photo: Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576 Honor Guard members, from left, Don Schafer, Mike Saulsbury, Pat Mooney and Dick Feneran.

For the second year, Le Roy's Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576 held a ceremony to honor Le Roy's three Vietnam War dead on Friday, March 29, which was also the nation's second Vietnam Veterans Day since President Trump authorized the designation in 2017.

As with all official events at an American Legion post, a ceremony in remembrance and awareness of prisoners of war and those missing in action (POWs-MIAs) was held first. It is marked by a small table covered with a white tablecloth and on it sits a single rose in a vase, a white candle and a Bible; behind it is an empty chair with a POW-MIA covering.

The ceremony started at 5 p.m. and next the post's Auxiliary President Marlene McCumskey read remarks in commemoration of the service of three LeRoyans who died in the Vietnam War.

She said: "National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29 honors the men and women who served and sacrificed during the longest conflict in United States history (up to that time). Generations later, veterans of this time period are gaining the respect that was not so freely given upon their return.

"Involving five U.S. presidents, crossing nearly two decades and 500,000 U.S. military personnel, it left an indelible mark on the American psyche.

"In memory of the three area servicemen who gave the ultimate sacrifice in this effort, we place this wreath in memory of their service to this community, state and nation -- 'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends...' In Memorium -- Gary Scott, Harry Van Alst, George Fry.

Then, outside, the Honor Guard performed a gun salute and the bugler, Tim Sheflin, played Taps.

"We put this together at the last minute," said Botts-Fiorito Post Adjutant Jerry Diskin. "We are hoping more people come out for it next year; we plan to keep having it. But it is controversial."

Diskin noted that Le Roy High School's Class of 1963 stands today as having the largest number of armed service members of any class there since World War II.

Photos courtesy of Joan Fernaays.

Below, Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576 First Vice Commander David Rumsey and Auxiliary President Marlene McCumskey.

Below, the POWs-MIAs ceremony with Botts-Fiorito American Legion Post #576 First Vice Commander David Rumsey, Adjutant Jerry Diskin, and Legionnaire John Rohl.

A man has reportedly fallen out of a moving vehicle in the area of 78 Lake St., Le Roy, and may have suffered a head injury.

The vehicle he was believed to be in continued northbound on Route 19.

It's a maroon Jeep Liberty.

Le Roy fire and Le Roy ambulance dispatched.

Mercy Flight being put on ground standby.

UPDATE(S)(By Billie) 5:41 p.m.: Mercy Flight is at a field near the crash site preparing to transport the victim to a hospital.

UPDATE 6:03 p.m.: Mercy Flight is airborne; destination not known. The patient suffered severe head trauma and was in and out of consciousness at the time of transport.

UPDATE 6:29 p.m.: Le Roy Police Sgt. Emily McNamara said it is not known at this "very, very early stage of the investigation" how or why the victim exited a moving vehicle, or what speed the vehicle was going at the time. The speed limit on Route 19 in the village is 35 mph. The vehicle continued on without stopping. It is thought to a smaller, dark-colored SUV; the previous description of a maroon Jeep Liberty is not certain, nor is it ruled out. In fact, any witnesses of this incident are asked to call the Emergency Dispatch Center directly with information that might help the investigation at 343-5000. Although the victim's identity has been established, police are not yet releasing the name until they have contacted family members.