Saturday, October 29, 2011
Bus vs car
The unusually early snowstorm bringing heavy, wet snow to the tri-state area has knocked out power to thousands of customers and caused delays at all three major airports.
New York City has seen sporadic power outages while further north the outages have been more severe centered near Poughkeepsie and Newburgh. Scattered outages have been reported in New Jersey.
In Connecticut, utilities reported more than 200,000 without service.
Late Saturday afternoon, the following power utilities were reported.
Con Edison:
Staten Island: 12,461
Brooklyn: 31
Queens: 448
Manhattan: 3
Bronx: 6,113
Westchester: 35,789
LIPA (Long Island Power Authority):
1,181 customers without power
JCP&L (Jersey Central Power and Light:
190,000 customers without power
PSEG:
200,000 customers without power
The airports are reporting delays due to the storm.
JFK:
Due to the storm and low ceilings, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving John F Kennedy International Airport. This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 5 hours and 16 minutes. To see if you may be affected, select your departure airport and check "Delays by Destination".
NEWARK:
Due to weather and snow and ice, there is a Traffic Management Program in effect for traffic arriving Newark International Airport. This is causing some arriving flights to be delayed an average of 6 hours and 14 minutes. To see if you may be affected, select your departure airport and check "Delays by Destination".
LAGUARDIA:
LGA is experiencing delays of 15 minutes or less on arrivals and departures.
Bronx Building Collapse Injures Construction Worker
A construction worker in the Bronx was hospitalized Saturday after the building he was working on collapsed.
It happened at a two-story commercial building located at 1184 Stratford Avenue in Soundview.
The New York City Fire Department says there was construction work going on when a column apparently collapsed and the floors above it came down.
Firefighters dug one man out by hand who was trapped under the debris for about 10 minutes.
He was taken to Jacobi Hospital.
"Something hit me, like, you know. That's when I looked up and it was just like shaking, and it just fell down," said one witness.
"It doesn't appear to be [weather related]. It appears to be a construction problem. There was active construction going on in the building at the time of the collapse," said FDNY Deputy Chief Jim Donlevy.
The fire chief says the Department of Buildings will survey the site and determine if the building should be demolished.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Police Investigate Cop's Report of Assault
Internal Affairs investigators are looking into what happened after a police officer claimed he was assaulted Thursday night in Riverside Park.
Police responded at about 10:40 p.m. to a call for a police officer needing assistance. He claimed he fired his gun and that someone took it.
The officer had a laceration on his head.
When investigators then tried to question him again, the officer refused to answer questions.
Sources say investigators are questioning the officer's account.
Photo Credit: Sara Frazier
Thursday, October 27, 2011
NYPD Officers And Civilians To Face Charges In Ticket-Fixing Scandal
Sixteen police officers and five others will face charges in connection with a ticket-fixing probe Friday morning.
Officials at the Bronx district attorney's office say indictments will be unsealed following a nearly three-year internal investigation.
It all started when authorities were monitoring a police officer who allegedly had ties to a known drug dealer.
Several officers were allegedly caught on wiretaps talking about getting rid of tickets for friends and family members.
Bronx residents NY1 spoke with had mix feelings about the scandal.
"To me, I think this all bogus. I think it's a lie. They're just trying to frame these cops. These cops are good cops," said one resident.
"Just unacceptable, and if they violate the law, they violated the law," said another.
"If it's a scandal, then there needs to be repercussions behind it, but I think people need to know that there's truth behind it as well. You don't want to accuse cops for no reason," said a third.
Union delegates have also been implicated in scandal.
By ny1
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Five NYPD Officers Caught In Gun Trafficking Bust
Five active members of the New York City Police Department were among a dozen people arrested early this morning as part of a gun trafficking investigation.
The U.S. Attorney's office says it comes after a year-long sting operation involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation and NYPD's Internal Affairs Bureau.
The officers arrested are identified as William Masso, 47, of Brooklyn, Eddie Goris, 31, of Queens, Ali Oklu, 35, of Queens and John Mahoney, 26, of Staten Island.
Three retired NYPD officers, a corrections officer from New Jersey and three civilians were also arrested.
The defendants are accused of trafficking three M-16 rifles, one shotgun and 16 handguns -- a majority of which had their serial numbers removed or altered.
Additionally, investigators say they also tried to transport slot machines, stolen cigarettes, and counterfeit goods across state lines.
The items carry an estimated street value of over $1 million.
"It is not pleasant to investigate, arrest and prosecute and punish your fellows in law enforcement that took the same oath that you took," said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara.
According to the complaint, the officers used their badges to pretend that the smuggling operation was merely part of a delivery of auction goods.
Officer Masso, the suspected leader of the conspiracy, allegedly told undercover agents that an army of active and retired officers could regularly deliver the items.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly says three of the accused officers were assigned to the 68th precinct in Brooklyn, one was assigned to the 71st precinct and a fourth worked as a member of the Brooklyn South Task Force.
"What is outlined in the complaint, was a betrayal of his oath of the highest order," Kelly said.
In a statement, the assistant director in charge of the FBI's New York office called the crimes "reprehensible," noting, "The public trusts the police not only to enforce the law, but to obey it. These crimes, as alleged in the complaint, do nothing but undermine public trust and confidence in law enforcement."
All of the defendants were set to appear in federal court this afternoon.
The most serious charge carries a 10-year prison sentence.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Brooklyn Boy Shot During Home Invasion
A 4-year-old boy is in the hospital after police say he was hit by a bullet during a home invasion.
Police say two men entered the apartment on Van Sinderen Avenue in East New York last night.
During the robbery, shots were fired, and the boy was grazed in the leg.
He was taken to Brookdale hospital.
An investigation is underway.
By ny1)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Bullets are flying over Broadway -- and everywhere else in the city.
The number of people shot surged 154 percent two weeks ago -- to 56 from 22 over the same week last year -- and spiked 28 percent in the last month.
Last week tallied another increase in victims -- 22 people had been hit through Friday, including the three victims gunned down outside a Brooklyn school Friday.
Last year, only 17 shooting victims were logged for the entire week.
The recent gunplay has now pushed the number of shooting victims this year slightly above last year's tragic tally -- to 1,484 from 1,451 -- through Oct. 16.
Four high-ranking cops point the finger at Occupy Wall Street protesters, saying their rallies pull special crime-fighting units away from the hot zones where they're needed.
Since Occupy Wall Street took over Zuccotti Park on Sept. 17, the NYPD has relied heavily on its borough task forces, the department's go-to teams for rowdy crowds.
But such protest duty takes the special units away from their regular jobs -- patrolling public housing and problem spots and staking out nightclubs plagued by violence, supervisors said.
"Normally, the task force is used in high-crime neighborhoods where you have a lot of shootings and robberies," said one source.
"They are always used when there are spikes in crime as a quick fix. But instead of being sent to Jamaica, Brownsville and the South Bronx, they are in Wall Street."
Another NYPD boss is troubled by the resulting slowdown in stop-and-frisks.
When OWS marches, as many as 3,000 cops a day could be called on to keep the peace. That's about 10 percent of the total force.
"The city is going crazy with demonstrations and protests, and I'm lucky if I can get four cars out there," said Deputy Inspector Ted Berntsen, commander of the 13th precinct in Chelsea.
As the NYPD deals with depleted ranks, fewer thugs are going to jail. The Organized Crime Control Bureau -- an elite unit of hundreds of cops fighting drug dealers and gun runners -- has seen arrests plummet 19 percent this year.
Staten Island Expressway Reopens After Deadly Crash
One person is dead after an early morning car crash on the Staten Island Expressway.
Officials at the New York City Fire Department say the vehicle flipped over near Victory Boulevard just after 5:00 a.m. Sunday.
Investigators say a 49-year-old man was also injured.
He was taken to Staten Island University Hospital.
The crash led to the partial closure of the expressway, which has since reopened.
Over 100 Guns Turned In During Harlem Buyback Event
New York City Police Department officials say 139 guns were turned in during yesterday's buyback event.
The NYPD teamed up with the Manhattan district attorney for buybacks at two Harlem churches.
Authorities exchanged bank cards of up to $200 for working handguns, rifles, and shotguns.
NYPD officials say the department has taken more than 7,000 guns off the streets since the buyback program started in 2008.
Off-Duty Officer Shoots Suspect During Attempted Queens Robbery
Charges are pending against three people after the attempted robbery of an off-duty police officer in Queens.
Police say the officer was walking his dog yesterday along Beach 27th Street when he was approached by a group of men.
One of them appeared to have a weapon.
There was a struggle, and the officer identified himself, drew his gun and fired at the group.
Three of them were taken into custody a short time later. One was taken to Jamaica Hospital, shot in the chin and arm.
Another person showed up at the hospital saying he was shot in the foot during the incident, but it's unclear if he was connected.
Police say a fake gun was recovered at the scene.
The officer was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
The fire started in the basement of the Satmar Synagogue on South 8th Street and Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg at 4:40 a.m Sunday. Firefighters from 27 fire companies responded to the blaze, which FDNY officials say appears to be electrical.
The building sustained some fire and water damage, but police and fire officials that the structure is safe.
There are also a few residential apartments on the top floors of the building, and residents were evacuated.
There are no reported injuries from the fire.
NYPD Makes Ocean Rescue Near Brooklyn
A mother and son were rescued from the Atlantic Ocean off Brooklyn, and the son is now facing charges.
Police released a video of the rescue yesterday afternoon.
They say a 21-year-old man went for a swim in the Coney Island Boat Basin, and his mother followed him into the water.
They both got swept out by the current.
An NYPD helicopter and divers were called out.
The mother was pulled up in a rescue basket, but the son, who police say was drunk, started to fight with the divers. They had to swim him back to shore.
He's been charged with resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
EAST WILLIAMSBURG (WABC) -- Police are looking for the driver of a truck that hit and killed a bicyclist in Brooklyn.
The truck did not stop after hitting the 30-year-old in an industrial section of East Williamsburg.
It happened just after midnight at the intersection of Morgan Avenue and Meserole Street.
Police found the truck parked nearby, with no one inside.
They say it's possible the driver didn't realize he hit the victim.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sources: Pepper-Spraying Officer Violated NYPD Guidelines
As dozens of "Occupy Wall Street" protesters marched to the Manhattan District Attorney's office to demand investigation of alleged police brutality in the handling of protest crowds over the past month, sources said a police officer who was seen on video using pepper spray on a protester last month violated city guidelines.
Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested over the past month and protesters are demanding a change in the New York City Police Department's policies.
Deputy Inspector Anthony Bologna was seen using pepper spray during a demonstration on September 24.
According to sources, an NYPD investigation has found that Bologna violated the department's rules on pepper spray use, and he will have to lose 10 paid vacation days.
Bologna can challenge the ruling, according to sources, and can have an administrative trial.
Another video shows that during a Friday demonstration, a ranking police officer punched a protester in the face.
"We would like the NYPD to be investigated for the attacks that have been happening during this occupation," said one marcher.
"I think to end police brutality and recognize other people who are suffering a lot and not to punish them for that," said another.
The district attorney offered no comment on the alleged incidents but said his office will examine each arrest case separately.
"We take every case that comes to our office individually and look at it as an individual matter," said Vane. "We've received about 500 arrests from the NYPD to date, roughly speaking. And each of those cases will receive that review process."
Protesters Storm Governor's Award Ceremony
Meanwhile, other protesters have swarmed to a West Village event where former Governor Mario Cuomo was scheduled to a present a "Changer of the Year Award" from the online news site The Huffington Post to his son, Governor Andrew Cuomo.
The protesters called Andrew Cuomo "Governor 1 Percent" and objected to how the governor has not extended the so-called "millionaires' tax," allowing for the state's wealthiest residents to pay fewer taxes starting next year.
Demonstrators wanted the governor to speak directly to them, but it is still unknown if he will talk to the protesters.
Protesters are also rallying against Sotheby's auction house over a union dispute, and the group plans on holding a vigil at Lincoln Center tonight.
The Granny Peace Brigade is also protesting the the Koch brothers' involvement in the center and their funding of several Republican issues.
Jesse Jackson joined the demonstrators in Zuccotti Park, where they have camped for a month, and called the protest an extension of Martin Luther King Jr.'s last act in which he "occupied" the National Mall in Washington, DC.
"Too few have too much subsidized by the government. Too many have little neglected by the government, so priorities have to change," said Jackson.
Organizers say the NYPD tried to disassemble their medical tent overnight but stopped when Jackson showed up.
"I think we're in a bad place in the world right now and the distribution of resources is such that's it unsustainable and if we don't take action soon, there really won't be an America left for much longer," said one protester.
The ongoing protests remain on the minds of officials, even though Zuccotti Park is not owned by the city.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn voiced support for the "Occupy Wall Street" protesters during a business breakfast in Midtown Tuesday while simultaneously unveiling a new jobs plan that aims to stimulate the local economy.
"I'm here to tell you we are not going to let that dream die and we are not going to let the middle class disappear from our city," said Quinn.
Despite defending the protesters, Quinn has yet to visit their encampment at Zuccotti Park, though she said it could be on her schedule in the future.
City Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe said parks are places for public expression, as long as protesters follow the rules.
"It's a challenge I think to the property owners, but you know, as Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg has said, democracy is a delicate act," said Benepe. "You want to try to balance the needs of people who want to express their opinions with the needs of people who live in the neighborhood."
Over the weekend, Occupy Wall Street protestors staged a demonstration at Washington Square Park, which is run by the city. Some protestors were arrested when they violated its midnight curfew.
By ny1
City-Bound Bus Collides With Truck On Thruway; Eight Injured
Several people were hurt this morning after a bus and a tractor trailer crashed on the New York State Thruway.
The accident happened around 5:30 a.m. in the southbound lanes near Sloatsburg.
Investigators say the driver of the tractor trailer saw a vehicle floundering in the right lane, slowed down and got rear-ended by the bus.
Seventeen people were on board the New York Trailways bus, which was headed to the city from Kingston.
At one point, two lanes were blocked and delays stretched back for miles.
Eight people, including the driver who had been briefly trapped, were taken to the hospital.
The driver was the most seriously hurt, with injuries to his leg and pelvic area.
The other victims all suffered bumps and bruises.
The company later sent another bus to pick up the uninjured passengers and bring them to the city.
The cause of the accident is under investigation.
Brooklyn Shooter Kills Man, Injures Woman
Authorities were looking late Monday for a shooter who killed a man and injured a woman in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
Police were called to Skillman Street and DeKalb Avenue Monday evening and found the male victim shot in the midsection.
He died at the hospital.
The woman was shot in the arm and was taken to the hospital.
"He's a good guy, he jokes a lot, I don't know who would want to do this to him," said one local. "Everybody knows him in the neighborhood. He's a nice person, he's a good guy."
"I don't know what provoked someone to do that in the middle of -- you know, it's 6:30, anyone could come home. So it does make us feel a little bit nervous," said another local.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
By ny1
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Upper West Side Mother Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Her Son
A Manhattan mother has been arraigned in connection with the fatal stabbing of her son.
Yvonne Hines, 52, pleaded not guilty to a manslaughter charge and is being held without bail.
Sean Hines, 18, was found just before 11 p.m. Friday inside his family's apartment on West 92nd Street. He had been stabbed in the leg.
The stepfather of Sean Hines was questioned but was not charged.
Sources say Sean Hines and his mother were arrested for assault during the summer, and his mother had been accused of child abuse.
(By: NY1 News)
Teen Dies In East Village Shooting
A teenager who was shot in New York City's East Village died early Sunday morning, police said.
Donovan Salgado, 17, was shot in the stomach around 1:50am local time Sunday on East 12th Street near Avenue C, police said.
He was rushed to nearby Bellevue Hospital, where he died at around 8:50am.
Police sources said the shooting may have been gang-related.
No arrests have been made yet in the slaying.
(By myfoxny)
N.J. Police Officer Killed In Crash
Prosecutors say a veteran police officer was killed when a man allegedly driving under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance crashed into his police cruiser on a northern New Jersey highway.
Twenty-nine-year-old Michael Cassella of Howell faces numerous charges -- including aggravated manslaughter and vehicular homicide -- in the crash on Route 80 in Roxbury that killed 38-year-old Mount Arlington officer Joseph Wargo.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Bianchi says it appears Cassella was westbound and speeding when he lost control of his vehicle around 12:10 a.m. Sunday. It then slid across the median and hit Wargo's cruiser.
Wargo was flown by helicopter to Morristown Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 1:25 a.m.
Cassella was being held Sunday at the Morris County Jail on $500,000 cash bail. Officials did not know if he's retained an attorney.
Hit-And-Run Driver Kills Livery Cab Passenger In Queens
Police are looking for the driver of a car involved in a deadly hit-and-run accident on Saturday on the Long Island Expressway service road in Queens.
Yesterday morning near 58th Road, investigators say a 2002 Chrysler Sebring was going the wrong way when it crashed head on into a livery cab.
The cab passenger was pronounced dead at Elmhurst Hospital.
The livery driver and a passenger in the Sebring are listed in stable condition.
The driver of the Sebring fled the scene.
Anyone with information on the case should contact the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS, or text CRIMES and then enter TIP577, or visit www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
(By ny1)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Thieves Break Into Brooklyn Best Buy, Steal Nearly 200 iPads
Police are searching for a group of thieves they say made off with more than $100,000 worth of iPads.
The theft occurred at the Best Buy at Gateway Plaza in East New York at around 4 a.m. Tuesday.
Police say the suspects broke in through the store's front entrance and stole nearly 200 iPad tablets.
Authorities are looking at surveillance video to see if any of the suspects were caught on tape.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Bronx Car Crash Sends Three To The Hospital
A car slammed into a building in the East Tremont section of the Bronx this evening, trapping three people inside.
It happened just before 5 p.m. near Marmion Avenue and East 175th Street.
Fire officials said two cars were involved in the crash.
Three people inside the car that hit the building had to be cut out of the vehicle and they were taken to Saint Barnabas Hospital in serious condition.
The cause of the crash is under investigation.
Feds Charge Two In Alleged Plot To Kill Saudi Ambassador
Federal officials say two people have been charged in connection with a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States.
Attorney General Eric Holder says the two men, identified as Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri, are also charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction.
The criminal complaint was filed today in the Southern District of New York.
Federal officials say Arbabsiar, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen holding both Iranian and U.S. passports, was taken into custody at John F. Kennedy International Airport on September 29.
He is due in federal court in Lower Manhattan this afternoon.
Shakuri, who is said to be a member of an Iranian special operations unit, remains at large.
Holder says the plot was conceived, sponsored and directed from Iran and the suspect in custody has confessed to the planned attack.
The plot was described by the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan Preet Bharara as the opening shot in a series of well-funded terrorist attacks in the US.
Both men face life sentences in prison if convicted of all the charges.
Police ID One Of Two Bronx Robbery Suspects
Police have identified a suspect in an attempted robbery at a Bronx parking garage in April.
Investigators say Alberto Lebron, 43, and another man tried to rob an attendant at a garage on East 143rd Street in Mott Haven on April 24.
When the 58-year-old victim refused to hand over cash, one of the men stabbed him.
He was treated at the hospital and released.
Police describe the other robber as being 25 to 35 years old, about 5'10" tall, and weighing around 160 pounds.
Anyone with information about the case is being asked to contact Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-577-TIPS, by texting TIP577 to CRIMES, or by going toNYPDCrimeStoppers.com.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Six People Shot in Newark
At least six people have been wounded in a midday shooting in a courtyard outside of an apartment building at Stone and Crane streets in Newark's North Ward.
Newark police, along with officers from the Essex County Sheriff's Department, were swarming the scene, which was cordoned off with police tape.
Though it was not immediately clear who had done the shooting, it appeared that six people between the ages of 17 and 27 were injured and had been taken to University Hospital.
According to initial reports, it appeared the gunfire erupted around 1:20 p.m.
Residents in the area said they heard between 16 to 20 gunshots. One woman, who declined to give her name, said she heard what she thought were firecrackers as she awoke from a nap. She said, "Then I realized it was the OK Corral."
Helicopters circled overhead as police continued their investigation.
Flushing Fire Injures Two
New York City Fire Department officials are investigating a fire that broke out this morning on the fourth floor of a six-floor building in Flushing, Queens.
The fire on 162nd Street started at about 8:15 a.m. and was brought under control by firefighters about 30 minutes later.
Two people were taken to New York Hospital Queens with minor injuries.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Clergy To Join Forces With "Occupy Wall Street" Protesters
The "Occupy Wall Street protestors" are remaining in Lower Manhattan's Zuccotti Park, and members of the clergy are expected to join the effort later today.
Demonstrators organizing the day's events at a so-called "general assembly" today, and a large demonstration is scheduled for tomorrow.
Protestors held a peaceful march up to Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village yesterday.
Police say there were no arrests yesterday, compared to the past two Saturdays, when hundreds of protesters were arrested.
Demonstrators told NY1 this morning that they remain part of the protest to keep sharing their message.
"For the most part, the only thing we all have in common is we want equality. We all come from very different backgrounds, very different economic strides, everything. It's not fair," said one protester. "There's so many people that don't have anything to eat and they're buying $200 lunches, and we're paying for it."
"Message is, you know, I was a business owner and lost my business because of the economy. My dad's house is in foreclosure because of the economy and being taken away from him right now, and there's just too much money in too little pockets," said another.
Protesters last night eventually headed back to Zuccotti Park after several hours at Washington Square Park, which closed to the public at midnight.
(By ny1)
Six Arrested In Queens Face Gun Charges
Six people, including a 16-year-old boy, are facing gun charges after they were arrested in Rockaway Beach, Queens.
Police say officers were investigating a robbery Friday night at Beach 87 Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard when they heard shots fired.
The officers saw the suspects flee the scene chased them under the boardwalk at Beach 84th Street, where they were pulled out.
The six guns seen above were recovered.
The suspects are all facing multiple charges, including criminal possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and resisting arrest.
(By ny1)
Police Looking For Missing Queens Man Whose Car Was Found On Fire
Police say 38-year-old Derek Cox was last seen on Friday in his home on 113th Avenue in Jamaica.
Officers found his car on fire at 141st Avenue and Carson Street. Cox was not in the car.
Anyone with information about where Cox may be, call police or Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS or visitwww.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
(By CBSNewYork)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)