CLAVERACK—Three Columbia County men were swiftly arrested following an armed robbery at the Sunoco Gas Station at the intersection of Route 9H and Route 66, August 9 at around 11 p.m.
State Police investigators from the Livingston barracks concluded a multi-agency probe conducted with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Hudson Police Department August 12.
Jonathan Garcia, 22, of Hudson was charged with first degree robbery, August 11; Charles H. Corey, 19, and Roberto Guerrero, 22, both of Hudson were charged with first degree robbery, a class B felony, August 12.
All three men were arraigned in Claverack Court before Justice Michael Brandon and sent to the Columbia County Jail without bail. They are due to return to the Claverack Justice Court at a later date.
“These arrests can be directly attributed to the inter-agency cooperation. Additionally, the information and leads provided by members of the community were crucially important to the success of this investigation,” State Police Senior Investigator William Mulrein said in a press release.
On the night of the crime, three armed men entered the gas station and demanded money from the store clerk. All three suspects fled the gas station on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. State Police issued detailed descriptions of the suspects along with photographs taken from store surveillance footage.
Hudson
Hudson Police Detectives were on patrol when they saw a man walking near Front Street and lower State Street whom they knew was wanted, August 11 at about 12:18 p.m.
When officers moved in, Chad Corsi, 33, of Sharon Springs, formerly of Hudson, allegedly took off on foot.
Detectives chased Mr. Corsi several hundred yards down Front Street and through the Furgary fishing shack area.
Police say that in an effort to elude arrest, Mr. Corsi jumped into the North Bay. Officers were able to coax him back to shore, where he was arrested. Police did not enter the water.
Police say, Mr. Corsi has a criminal history that includes burglary, assault, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest. He was wanted by the Schoharie County Probation Department for violation of his probation.
He was turned over to Schoharie County probation officers. He will answer resisting arrest charges in Hudson at a later date.
Hudson Police were assisted at the scene by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and State Police.
Elizaville
Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Twin Lakes on County Route 19 for a reported missing swimmer, August 9 at about 10 a.m.
Upon arrival, deputies spoke with the caller, who said he saw an individual in the middle of the lake swimming next to a float. When the caller returned a couple of minutes later, the person was nowhere to be found. Fearing the individual may have drowned, the caller contacted the Columbia County 911 center, according to a press release from Sheriff David P. Bartlett.
The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Sheriff’s Office Marine Patrol, the Livingston, Germantown, Milan fire companies, Columbia County Fire Coordinator, Columbia County EMS Coordinator, as well as the Northern Dutchess Paramedics responded to the scene to assist with the search. When it was determined that extra divers were going to be needed, the City of Hudson Fire Department Dive Team was also dispatched to the scene.
Divers searched a large area out to a floating raft and around it. An additional search past the raft was conducted by the Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit using side scan sonar. This search covered roughly 50% of the lake and only turned up a sunken boat.
The search was called off after three-and-a-half-hours because it turned up no evidence that a swimmer drowned.
In the release, Sheriff Bartlett thanked all the agencies involved for their quick response to what could have been a real tragedy.
Greenport
Adonis Duran, 21, of Hudson was charged with third degree grand larceny, a class D felony, by State Police from Livingston, July 19 at 12:37 p.m.
Mr. Duran, a former employee of the Sprint Store on Healy Boulevard, allegedly opened two fraudulent Sprint accounts and activated a total of nine cellular devices. As a result, the business lost more than $7,000. Mr. Duran was arraigned in Greenport Court and released on his own recognizance. He was scheduled to return to court at a later date.
Bells Pond
Daniel Karcher, 40, of Clermont was charged with criminal obstruction of breathing, misdemeanor, by State Police from Livingston, July 25 at 7:35 p.m.
Troopers were dispatched to the Xtra Mart on Route 23/9H for a reported dispute. Mr. Karcher allegedly placed his hand around a woman’s neck, pinning her down in the back seat of a vehicle. He was arraigned in Livingston Court before Justice Robert Q. Moore and sent to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $2,000 cash bail or $4,000 bail bond and ordered to reappear in court at a later date.
Canaan
A 17-year-old male was charged with third degree assault by State Police from New Lebanon, July 18 at 7:58 p.m.
On July 11, a 17-year old The teen allegedly struck someone at the Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth, 13640 State Route 22, causing physical injury. The juvenile was scheduled to appear in Canaan Court at a later date.
New Lebanon
Charles Slade, 45, of Rensselaer was charged with second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony, by State Police from Livingston, July 25 at 4:55 p.m.
Following a traffic stop on State Route 20, Mr. Slade was found to have a counterfeit inspection sticker.
He was arraigned in New Lebanon Court before Justice Jessica Byrne and released on his own recognizance to return at a later date.
Livingston
Kathleen Anderson, 41, of Germantown was charged with fourth degree criminal mischief by State Police from Livingston, July 22 at 7:10 a.m.
Columbia County 911 dispatched troopers to a dispute. Ms. Anderson allegedly caused damage to someone’s car by slashing the vehicle’s tire. She was arraigned in Livingston Court and released on her own recognizance.
Drugs/alcohol
The following face drug- and/or alcohol-related charges:
*Taylor Mazzeo, 20, of Stephentown was charged with two counts of seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of marijuana, and unlawful possession of alcohol by a person under 21 years old age by State Police from New Lebanon, July 17 at 3 p.m. Following a traffic stop on Route 22 in New Lebanon, Ms. Mazzeo was found to allegedly possess marijuana, an alcoholic beverage, marijuana wax and psychedelic mushrooms. She was issued appearance tickets directing her to appear in New Lebanon Court August 4.
*Richard C. Fuerst, 56, of Valatie was charged with driving while intoxicated (previous conviction within 10 years), resisting arrest and moving from lane unsafely by State Police from Kinderhook, July 24 at 12:36 a.m. Troopers stopped the vehicle Mr. Fuerst was operating on State Farm Road in Kinderhook when he crossed into the oncoming lane several times. He was found to be intoxicated at the time of the stop. He told police he had been drinking at a friend’s house and a local pub. When he failed field sobriety tests and was being placed under arrest, he attempted to run away. Mr. Fuerst was apprehended and taken to SP Kinderhook where he provided a breath sample with a .16% blood alcohol content, double the legal limit. He was arraigned in Kinderhook Town Court where he was released on his own recognizance to reappear at a later date.
*Nathaniel R. Buckley, 30, of Canaan was charged with driving while intoxicated, having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% and failure to notify the Department of Motor Vehicles of an address change by State Police from Livingston, July 18 at 11:47 p.m. Troopers located a one-car auto crash on County Route 61, Ghent. They found Mr. Buckley to be intoxicated at the time of the crash. He provided a BAC of .08%. He was issued tickets to appear in Ghent Court at a later date.
To contact Diane Valden email dvalden@columbiapaper.com