HUDSON–Police and emergency medical personnel rushed to the aid of an elderly woman, who appeared “frozen to death” in a Subaru parked along City Hall Place, according to a call from a distraught citizen, who discovered the woman, Friday, December 16 at 8:30 a.m.
Hudson Police officers and the Greenport Rescue Squad were immediately dispatched.
When they arrived minutes later, officers saw an elderly woman seated in the car’s front passenger seat wearing eye glasses and an oxygen mask. She did not move and was unresponsive.
The temperature was bitterly cold at about eight degrees and the car was snow covered, indicating it may have been parked there overnight.
A Hudson Police sergeant broke the rear passenger side window and opened the door only to discover the “frozen woman” was “an extremely realistic life-sized mannequin.”
Police could not initially find the vehicle’s owner, but he eventually showed up and was reportedly not pleased that his window had been broken.
The vehicle owner, a Hudson resident, is a sales manager for a company that manufactures medical training aides. The lifelike elderly woman model is a CPR training device. “It is extremely detailed to include actual clothing, glasses, teeth, shoes and skin blemishes,” police said in a press release.
The owner of the mannequin told police that he transports the device in his car in that manner, to include the wearing of a seat belt.
No charges are pending in this matter.
“It is my understanding that the owner was incredulous that we took action in this matter. He apparently was quite vocal and vulgar to my sergeant. Just to clear the record, all citizens of Hudson should be put on notice that if you park your locked vehicle on the street on a sub-zero night with a life-size, realistic mannequin seated in it… we will break your window. I commend everyone who responded with the intentions to help an elderly woman,” Hudson Police Chief L. Edward Moore said in the release.
The story has “gone viral” achieving national and international attention. A December 20 television news report showed journalists from Japan interviewing the chief for a morning TV show in that country.
* Hudson Police assisted with the arrest of a wanted subject, Saturday, December 3 at 7 p.m. HPD was notified by the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation that they had located Bryce D. Hallback, 31, of Apple Meadow Apartments, Greenport. Troopers, who were aware that Ms. Hallback was wanted in the City of Hudson on bench warrants, saw her enter an apartment on Hudson Avenue in Stuyvesant. She attempted to exit out of a rear window, was detected by troopers, and returned to hide within the residence.
Later that evening HPD detectives, assisted by the Columbia County District Attorney, received a search warrant issued by County Court Judge Jonathan Nichols. Troopers located Ms. Hallback hiding in a cabinet under the kitchen sink.
She was returned to Hudson and appeared before City Court Judge Brian Herman, who arraigned her and released her on her own recognizance.
The arrest was the culmination of several events involving Ms. Hallback that have occurred over the past year, according to police.
On November 26, 2015 Ms. Hallback was charged with third degree assault for an incident outside the Savoia Bar and an arrest warrant was issued December 11, 2015.
On January 31 of this year, Hudson Police attempted to execute the warrant at a traffic stop, and Ms. Hallback ran from the scene. She was arrested on the assault warrant and the subsequent resisting arrest charge later that day and posted bail. The arresting officer received a minor injury while attempting to subdue Ms. Hallback.
On September 21, bench warrants were issued for Ms. Hallback by Hudson City Court when she failed to appear in court on those charges. She was expected to voluntarily return back court at a later date.
Copake
One person was taken to the hospital following a two-car crash at 9176 Route 22, November 13, 10:07 a.m.
Zachary Willis, 19, of Craryville was traveling south on State Route 22 when he failed to keep right and crossed over the double yellow line. The Willis vehicle struck a vehicle operated by Angela Patterson, 77, of Claverack, who was traveling north.
Mr. Willis was not hurt. The Community Rescue Squad took Ms. Patterson to Columbia Memorial Hospital for evaluation. State Police investigated.
Hillsdale firefighters were back in service at 11:13 a.m.
*Wendy S. Eisermann, 35, of Copake was charged with third degree assault, a class A misdemeanor, by Deputies Patrick Mayo and Zachary Sohotra, November 11 at 10:37 p.m. Ms. Eisermann is accused of striking a male subject in the head causing injury at a private residence in Copake. She was arraigned in Copake Court and released on her own recognizance. She will appear back in court at a later date.
Ghent
Roy N. Cowherd, 59, of Stockport was charged with driving while intoxicated, a class U misdemeanor, and speeding, a traffic infraction, by Deputy Jordan Brahm, November 7 at 7:36 p.m. Mr. Cowherd was stopped on County Route 22, Ghent for speeding. He is accused of operating a motor vehicle while being intoxicated. He failed field sobriety tests. He was arraigned in Claverack Court and released on his own recognizance to re-appear in court at a later date.
To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com.
