Oakfield

      Jason Fitzpatrick       Samantha Makar

A chase, a search, and a tip led to the arrest of two people Tuesday night after they were located at Walmart in Batavia.

The incident began with a chase on Route 63 in Oakfield.

A deputy on patrol spotted a Pontiac sedan traveling north at a high rate of speed, so the deputy turned around and attempted to catch the vehicle.

The deputy observed the sedan continue at a high rate of speed and pass a vehicle by crossing into the southbound lane. At that point, the deputy, in his marked patrol vehicle, initiated a pursuit with lights and siren.

The vehicle failed to stop and continued east on Route 262 and then north on Fox Road. At Fox and Maltby roads, the vehicle allegedly ran a stop sign and went into the air off the north shoulder of Maltby Road into a field.

The vehicle struck a tree and then continued northwest through the field. A backseat passenger jumped from the vehicle and complied with a deputy's commands.

The sedan continued northwest and entered a neighboring crop field. It allegedly damaged about $1,000 in crops.

The driver stopped the vehicle and the driver and remaining passenger fled on foot.

A vehicle search allegedly led to deputies finding scales with residue and an illegal weapon in the vehicle.

A K-9 was dispatched to assist in the search. That search led to a nearby residence.

Deputies received a tip that two people matching the suspects were given a ride to the Batavia Walmart.

Police responded to Walmart and located the suspects in the Walmart parking lot.

The driver was identified as Jason M. Fitzpatrick, 38, of Sweet Road, Howell, Mich., and the passenger as Samantha R. Makar, 22, of West Madison Street, York, S.C.

Fitzpatrick is charged with: criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd; unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle; criminal mischief, 4th; obstructing governmental administration, 2nd; and aggravated unlicensed operation. There was also a warrant for Fitzpatrick out of Michigan as a parole absconder.

Makar is charged with obstructing governmental administration and criminal possession of a weapon, 4th.

The weapon recovered was not described in the press release.

The third occupant of the vehicle complied with deputies' orders and was charged.

Assisting the in the incident were NY State Police, The Department of Environmental Conservation's K-9 unit, and Batavia PD.

Deputies involved in the incident included Jacob Gauthier and Jordan Alejandro.

An one-vehicle accident with minor injuries is reported at 6737 Lewiston Road, Oakfield. Traffic will be shut down at Lewiston and Bliss Road. There is a truck and debris in the roadway, blocking the northbound lane.

Oakfield fire is on scene. Mercy medics are told to respond in nonemergency mode.

Members of the group Bikers Against Child Abuse, Niagara Chapter, rode through Genesee County today, one of the counties it serves in Western New York, and stopped for lunch at Oak Grill and Cafe in Oakfield as part of its 120-mile tour.

The purpose of the ride is to raise awareness of child abuse and let people know the group exists. According to the group's pamphlet, one of its services is to assign a member of the organization to an abused child to help provide a sense of protection and give the child confidence.

A tractor waiting to do more work this morning in a field off of Downey Road in Oakfield.

A total of 37 pots filled with flowering plants will be placed along Main Street in the Village of Oakfield this spring and summer, paid for by residents and business owners to help bring a little color and vibrancy to the community. 

Spearheaded by Village Clerk Kim Staniszewski and Judy Boyle, they asked people to donate $25 for each pot and then the donor will have a sign in the pot recognizing a local achievement (such as the fine seasons of the basketball teams), memorializing a loved one, or mentioning a business sponsor.

The plants and material were purchased from Pudgie's Lawn and Garden with Pudgie's staff assisting in selecting the plants so "we make sure this spring and summer they really grow and flourish and look pretty," Staniszewski said.

Today, members of Oakfield-Alabama's Future Farmers of American potted the plants.

Kaden Cusmano

Colton Yasses

Karly Smith

New listing alert: 40 Drake St.! Nice and solid home located in great location and within walking distance of everything in the cute Village of Oakfield. Located across from park entrance and within a nice stroll to shopping and eating and school!

This home seems much larger than reported square footage and has great space on first floor with cozy kitchen large formal dining room with hardwood floors, great back room currently used as office with 1/2 bath but could be great pantry area, breakfast nook reading room, etc.! There is a decent size living room leading to upstairs and there is a possible 3rd bedroom up there as well!

The corner lot is awesome and large and there is a detached garage for extra storage as well. All showings to begin April 29 with delayed negotiations till May 4 at 7 p.m. Click here for more information on this listing.

Andre Roberts, 28, of School Street, Batavia, is charged with theft of services. He was arrested at 8:13 p.m. April 13 after he patronized a bar in the City of Batavia, then allegedly left without paying his tab. Roberts was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Batavia City Court April 20.

Johnny Earl Anthony, 30, of Knapp Road, Akron, is charged with driving while intoxicated -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle with a BAC of .08 or more -- first offense; moving from lane unsafely; and unlicensed operator. Anthony was arrested at 8:53 p.m. April 17 on West Main Street Road in Batavia after being involved in a collision. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Town of Batavia Court on May 24. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Kyle Tower.

Sundae Jade Whitney Grambeck, 27, of Junction Road, Pavilion, is charged with driving while intoxicated -- first offense, and DWI with a BAC of .08 percent or more. At 3:15 a.m. April 19, Grambeck was arrested on Ellicott Street Road in Bethany following a motor-vehicle accident. She was issued appearance tickets and is due in Bethany Town Road on May 4. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Deputy David Moore.

Caleb Richard Swendsen, 26, of Akron Road, Pembroke, is charged with second-degree criminal trespass. Following a report of a domestic incident at 6:36 p.m. April 13 on Maple Avenue in Oakfield, Swendsen was arrested. He was arraigned on the charge virtually in Oakfield Town Court, then released on an appearance ticket. He is due back in court June11. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jonathan Dimmig, assisted by Kyle Krzemien.

Lisa Fox, 49, of East Avenue, Batavia, was arrested after a traffic stop on East Avenue at 12:08 p.m. April 14 during which she was identified as the operator, and there was a bench warrant for her arrest out of Batavia City Court. Following her arraignment in city court, she was released under supervision. Fox is due to return to court May 25.

Caleb Richard Swendsen, 26, of Akron Road, Pembroke, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Following a domestic incident in the Village of Oakfield at 7:13 p.m. on April 14, Swendsen was arrested and charged with that Class A misdemeanor. Swendsen was taken to Genesee County jail, then released with an appearance ticket to be in Oakfield Village Court on May 24. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Deputy Jonathan Dimmig.

Terry Nelson Ritchey, 48, of Alexander Road, Batavia, is charged with: driving while ability impaired by alcohol; no tail lamp; and no plate lamp. At 1:33 a.m. on April 15, Ritchey was arrested after a traffic stop on Clinton Street Road in Bergen. It is alleged that Ritchey drove a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol. The defendant was issued traffic tickets then released. Ritchey is due in Bergen Town Court on June 2. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Jacob Gauthier, assisted by Deputy Austin Heberlein.

From the NYS Police:

On April 10 at 10:12 p.m., Troopers out of New York State Police Batavia responded to Lockport Road in the Town of Oakfield for an ATV collision.

Further investigation revealed that a 2014 Can Am Outlander was traveling northbound on Bliss Road and crossed Lockport Road. The ATV exited the intersection and struck a rock embankment, causing the ATV to overturn several times.

The operator, Thomas S. Butler, 43, of Oakfield, was ejected and deceased at the scene. The 55-year-old passenger was also ejected with non-life-threatening injuries. The 55-year-old was taken by Mercy Flight to Erie County Medical Center for treatment.

Neither operator nor passenger were wearing helmets. An autopsy is scheduled for the deceased.

This is still an active investigation.

Previously: ATV accident reported in Oakfield

A rollover ATV accident is reported in the area of 2835 Lockport Road, Oakfield.

Two people involved. One possible serious injury.

Oakfield fire and Mercy EMS dispatched. Dispatchers checking on the availability of Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 10:21 p.m.: Mercy Flight requested to the scene. Mercy Flight out of Buffalo on a ground standby. 

UPDATE 10:25 p.m.:  Elba Fire Police requested for traffic control, to shut down Lockport Road. 

UPDATE 10:31 p.m.: Mercy Flight has landed. 

UPDATE 10:44 p.m.: Mercy Flight in the air, en route to ECMC. 

UPDATE 12:10 a.m.: Oakfield is back in service. Elba can reopen Lockport Road.

For 29 years in the Florida Keys, a Genesee County girl was known only as "Valentine Jane Doe."

She had been raped and murdered on Valentine's Day, 1991, her body found the next day by a group of windsurfers walking on a path near a beach. Investigators noted two things about her: she had no tan lines suggesting she was from the north and hadn't been in Florida long, and she had a small heart-shaped tattoo with the word "love" in it.

Over the summer, using DNA matching with relatives, she was at long last identified as Wanda Deann Kirkum, who was 18 at the time of her murder. Wanda was born in Hornell but had spent most of her life in Genesee County going to schools in Pavilion, Batavia and Oakfield.

For those 29 years, her remains were stored in a Florida Social Services vault but recently her ashes were returned to her closest living relative, first cousin Brenda Chartraw.

Chartraw said she and Wanda were close as children and now, after her cousin being known only as a Jane Doe for so many years, Chartraw wants to make sure her name is memorialized with a proper burial in a final resting place and headstone. Kirkum will be lain to rest at a cemetery in Oakfield.

The headstone is being donated by Oakley Monuments of Batavia but Chartraw is asking for the community's help with the rest of the fundraising. She has set up a gofundme.com page and is holding a basket raffle at the Caryville Inn in Oakfield this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets will be drawn at 4 p.m.

Wanda ran away from home when she was 18. Chartraw said Wanda was physically and sexually abused by her father and mother. Her parents, who are both now dead, apparently had no interest in finding her and did not file a missing person's report.

The family believed, Chartraw said, that Wanda wanted to start a new life and had believed that she had done so, without suspecting that she had been killed.

Chartraw said the case of the Valentine Jane Doe was kept top-of-mind within the Monroe County (Florida) Sheriff's Office by the dispatcher who first took the call of Kirkum's body being found by the windsurfers. The case was featured on national television shows but no leads were ever uncovered until this past year.

One of the detectives working the case uploaded Kirkum's DNA to a genealogy site -- using a technique pioneered in California in the Golden State Killer case -- to identify a fourth cousin of Wanda's. With that match, detectives found another family member and acquired a DNA sample to confirm the match.  

Using DNA, detectives also identified Kirkum's killer, Robert Lynn Bradley, who was 31 at the time of his murder in Texas the year after he killed Kirkum.  

NOTE: Family members say that Kirkum never gave birth to a child, as suggested in the video.

Nia Hanevin Spring, of Meadville Road, Alabama, is charged with third-degree grand larceny. At 7 p.m. on March 23, Genesee County Sheriff's deputies responded to 986 Bloomingdale Road in the Town of Alabama for complaints of trespassing and larceny at the Rez Smoke Shop and Gas Station. Spring allegedly stole $9,501 in merchandise from the business. She was arraigned in Alabama Town Court and released on her own recognizance. She is due in Genesee County Court on May 18. The case was handled by Deputy Zachary Hoy, assisted by Deputy Erik Andre.

Emery Green, 32, no address or place of residence provided, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon on school grounds, 4th, a Class A misdemeanor. He was arrested and processed at Batavia Police Headquarters after an investigation into an allegation that he possessed a firearm on Batavia City School District property. He was arraigned virtually in Batavia City Court and is due to return there on April 13.

Joshua Williams Sr., 29, no address or place of residence provided, is charged with: criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree; second-degree menacing; endangering the welfare of a child; and second-degree harassment. He was arrested at 4:26 p.m. March 17 after a domestic incident in which he allegedly attempted to hit a person with a brick. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail on $5,000 cash bail, $10,000 bond, or $15,000 partially secured bond. He is due back in city court on April 22.

Clarence Wesley Odell, 52, of Corfu (no address provided) is charged with: felony driving while impaired by drugs with a previous conviction within 10 years; felony aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the first degree; refusal to take a breath test; operating an unregistered ATV; and unlawful operation of an ATV on a public highway. At 11;38 p.m. on July 30, Odell was arrested after a traffic stop on South Pearl Street in the Village of Oakfield. He was arraigned on March 5 in Oakfield Town Court and is due back there on April 5. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Austin Heberlein, assisted by Jacob Gauthier.

James F. Perry, 36, (no address provided), was arrested and charged with first-degree criminal contempt after a disturbance at 1:30 p.m. March 16 on State Street in Batavia. He was allegedly observed in the presence of a person with an order of protection from him. He was arraigned in Batavia City Court and put in jail in lieu of bail (unspecified). He is due back in court April 15.

Peter Joseph Mancuso, 32, of Northwood Drive, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and second-degree criminal contempt. On March 26 Mancuso was arrested for allegedly causing damage to a door and doorknob at a residence on Roberts Road in Alabama at 11 a.m. March 10 in violation of an active order of protection. He was arraigned in Alabama Town Court and released on his own recognizance. Judge Charles Zambito issued a full stay away order of protection to the Roberts Road resident. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Chad Minuto, assisted by Deputy Ryan DeLong.

Cynthia McKnight, 22, of Avenue D, Rochester, is charged with: aggravated driving while intoxicated per se -- with a BAC of .18 or more and no prior convictions; DWI -- first offense; and failure to stop at a stop sign. On March 27 at 6:41 p.m., Genesee County Sheriff's deputies responded to Route 33 in the Town of Bergen for a single-vehicle accident. After an investigation, McKnight was arrested on the charges. It is alleged she was driving while intoxicated and failed to stop at a stop sign, causing her vehicle to go off the roadway and into a field. She was released with appearance tickets and is due in Town of Bergen Court on April 7. The case was handled by Deputy Kenneth Quackenbush, assisted by Deputy Kyle Tower.

Public Notice

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Village of Oakfield Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing Monday, April 12th, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. at the Village Hall, 39 Main Street, Oakfield, NY 14125 for the purpose of hearing comments on the Tentative Village Budget for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. The tentative budget is on file in the office of the Village Clerk at 37 Main Street, Oakfield, NY where it may be seen by any interested persons during regular business hours and is also available on the Village website oakfield.govoffice.com. The proposed salaries for the Mayor and Village Trustees are as follows: Village Trustees - $2,865.00 each, Deputy Mayor- $4,260.00 Mayor - $8,675.00.

Public Notice

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Village of Oakfield Board of Trustees will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, April 12th, 2021 @ 6:30 p.m. at the Village Hall, 39 Main Street, Oakfield, NY 14125, for the purpose of hearing comments on a proposed increase in the water and sewer rates.

Hearings are in person. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, capacity of the meeting room is limited to 20 people with proper social distancing and masks required.

Johnathan Falk, 22, of Batavia (no address provided) (inset photo right), was arrested Feb. 17 by Wyoming County Sheriff's deputies on two warrants stemming from previous arrests. In January 2020 he was arrested for petit larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, in the Town of Warsaw then released as the charge did not qualify for bail reform. He was arrested later that month for criminal possession of a controlled subject in the fifth degree, a Class D felony, and criminal sale of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, a Class C felony. Again he was released since the offenses did not qualify for bail. In June, Falk was arrested for two counts of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the second degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree, both Class A-II felonies. He was released from custody again. The defendant was indicted on the felony charges in August; he never appeared in court and warrants were issued out of Wyoming County Court and Town of Warsaw Court. When he was arrested earlier this month, he was additionally charged with third-degree bail jumping, a Class A misdemeanor. Falk was arraigned in Warsaw Town Court and put in Wyoming County Jail in lieu of bail (unspecified). Falk is due back in Wyoming County Court at a later date. Genesee County Sheriff's Office assisted with locating and arresting Falk. The case was handled by Wyoming County Sheriff's Deputy Bradley McGinnis, assisted by Deputy Aaron Chase.

Steven Luigi Maltese, 51, of Clinton Street Road, Bergen, is charged with third-degree menacing and endangering the welfare of a child. At 4:05 p.m. on Feb. 19, deputies responded to the 4000 block of South Main Street in the Town of Batavia for a reported domestic incident. After an investigation, Maltese was arrested for allegedly threatening a female victim in the presence of a juvenile during a domestic dispute. He was arraigned in Genesee County Court and is due back there on April 5. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Erik Andre.

Benjamin J. Lathan, 20, and Brandon C. Lewis, 20, both of Bergen (no addresses provided) were arrested Feb. 21 by State Police out of the Amity Barracks and charged with petit larceny and trespass. Troopers investigating the January theft of three trail cameras from a property on Streeter Brook Road in the Town of Genesee allegedly determined both men were involved in the theft of the cameras. Both were arrested and released with appearance tickets for Genesee Town Court, where they are due to appear in March.

Will R. Thompson, 21, of Byron (no address provided), was arrested on Feb. 14 by a Wyoming County Sheriff's deputy and charged with having an uninspected motor vehicle and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree. At 3:22 p.m. that day Deputy Austin Harding was patrolling northbound on South Main Street in the Village of Perry, when he observed a gray pickup truck southbound with a 2020 inspection sticker on the front windshield. Harding conducted a traffic stop near Camp Road and a DMV data check found the inspection sticker expired Nov. 30 and that Thompson's license was suspended twice for failure to answer a summons in the Town of Hastings Court on Feb. 8. Thompson was proceseed roadside, then released with an appearance ticket to appear in Village of Perry Court at a later date.

Antonio Diego Dames, 45, of Farnsworth Avenue, Oakfield, is charged with criminal possession of a weapon marijuana in the fourth degree. At 2:29 p.m. on Feb. 22, Genesee County Sheriffs deputies responded to a residence on Farnsworth Avenue in the Village of Oakfield to assist the county Probatation Department. After an investigation, Dames was arrested for allegedly possessing more than two ounces of marijuana. He was issued an appearance ticket and is due in Oakfield Town Court on April 5. The case was handled by Deputy Erik Andre. CORRECTION: This item initially, and mistakenly, used the word "weapon" instead of "marijuana" in the criminal charge. The Batavian regrets the error.

Jose Alfredo Cruz, 44, of South Pearl Street, Oakfield, is charged with second-degree menacing and second-degree harassment. At midnight on Feb. 20, Cruz was arrested after a domestic incident. It is alleged he menaced a person and made threats to harm himself. Cruz was arraigned virtually at Genesee County Jail on behalf of Town of Oakfield Court. He is due in GC court on April 5. The case was handled by Deputy Nicholas Chamoun, assisted by Deputy David Moore.

Rodney Lee Harmon Jr., 44, of Church Street, Elba, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree. Harmon was arrested at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 after allegedly being found in possession of oxycodone hydrochloride when a probation officer visited his home. He was released with an appearance ticket and is due in Elba Town Court at a later date. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Travis DeMuth.

Tristan Michael Vaughn, 22, of Richley Road, Darien, is charged with: driving while intoxicated -- first offense; operating a motor vehicle while having a BAC of .08 percent or more -- first offense; unregistered motor vehicle; moving from lane unsafely. Vaughn was arrested at 6:27 p.m. Feb. 20 on Attica Road in Darien after his vehicle was located off the roadway. He was released with appearance tickets and is due in Darien Town Court on March 16. The case was handled by Genesee County Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Krzemien, assisted by Sgt. Andrew Hale.