Police and Fire News

Two Killed in Falmouth. Critical injury in Sandwich

Weather conditions may have contributed to accident, third person injured

FALMOUTH - A vehicle involved in a double fatal accident sits on the back of a flatbed tow truck in Falmouth. According to police, two people were killed and a third seriously injured in a one-car crash on Jones Road early Sunday (10-30-11).

The accident occurred around 12:15 a.m. near the area of 371 Jones Road. According to several tow truck operators, road conditions were treacherous at the time of the crash due to a powerful storm striking the area.

It is unclear if the weather contributed to the crash. The car carrying three occupants reportedly hit a tree and a fence before coming to a stop. The crash is under investigation by Falmouth police and the State Police Accident Reconstruction Unit.

Critically injury in Sandwich head-on crash Sunday

SANDWICH - The father of a retired Sandwich, Massachusetts police detective was critically injured in a head-on crash involving two pick-up trucks and a car on Snake Pond Road in Sandwich, Massachusetts Sunday (10-30-11) afternoon around 3:00 PM. According to a police officer at the crash, the retired police detective came upon the scene of the accident involving his father shortly after the crash. CPR was performed on the unidentified elderly victim who was transported to Falmouth Hospital. Two other people were also injured in the crash, though their injuries are believed to be minor.
  -Photos by David G. Curran.

Three arrests made in Eastham pot buy gone bad

Three arrests made in Eastham pot buy gone bad

EASTHAM - Three arrests have been made in what Eastham police are considering a drug buy gone bad.  Thursday evening, State police received a 911 call from a driver on Route 6 near Exit 10, who was having difficult breathing due to injuries sustained in a physical attack in Eastham.  According to an Eastham police release, the man called 911 and reported having been attacked during a drug deal in which he was acting as the seller. 

State police notified Eastham police who began an investigation into the incident. The investigation led to the arrest of Oceanus Dubois, 17, of Eastham and Logan Bartels, 21, of Brewster. While interviewing the men, officers learned that Dubois, Bartels and a third man, identified as 20-year-old Michael Watts of Orleans, arranged to meet the seller on the Eastham side of Rock Harbor to purchase marijuana.

According to police, the men intended to rob the seller during the drug deal. Bartels was lying in the back of the car armed with a knife. When the money and marijuana changed hands, Bartels and Dubois emerged from the car and allegedly attacked the seller. The seller, according to police, received a knife wound to his hand and was kicked and beaten over the head with a beer bottle.

Despite the violent attack, the seller was able to escape in his vehicle. His call to 911 was made as he attempted to drive himself to the hospital.

Bartels was charged with armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (knife).  Dubois was charged with armed robbery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (beer bottle) and assault with a dangerous weapon (knife).  Bartels and Dubois were booked and transported to Barnstable County House of Correction Thursday night, where they were held on $25,000 each. During their arraignment in Orleans District Court Friday morning, the Assistant District Attorney requested and was granted a continuance for a dangerous hearing for both men, police said. The two will be held at the house of correction until the hearing on November 4.

According to police, Watts turned himself in at the Orleans District Courthouse Friday morning and was released on $5,000 cash bail. He was charged with armed robbery.

The unidentified seller was taken to Cape Cod Hospital by rescue workers after calling 911. His condition is unknown at this time.

Source: Eastham Police Department.

Injured, unresponsive man found lying on Route 28 in South Yarmouth Wednesday

Yarmouth police investigating injured man found lying on Route 28

Unconscious Chatham man flown to a Boston hospital Wednesday

   The unconscious man was found near Neptune Lane on Route 28 in the area of Captain Parker's and Pirate's Cove. Google Map.

SOUTH YARMOUTH - Around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, Yarmouth police responded to the report of an injured man found lying in the road on Route 28 near Neptune Lane. Officers arrived to discover a man lying near the curb with several bystanders gathered around him. According to a Yarmouth police release, the man was unconscious and unresponsive.  There was a pool of blood around his head, but no obvious signs of trauma or evidence of a motor vehicle accident, police said.

Yarmouth fire/rescue personnel arrived on scene and transported the man to Barnstable Municipal Airport in Hyannis to meet a MedFlight helicopter.  The man, identified as 47-year-old Jon Marques of Chatham, was flown to Massachusetts General Hospital. Mr. Marques' condition is unknown at this time.

Evidence was collected at the scene and Yarmouth detectives are investigating, police said.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Yarmouth police at 508-775-0445 or email at tips@yarmouthpolice.com.

Source: Yarmouth Police Department.

Hyannis vehicle stop ends in drug bust Tuesday

Hyannis vehicle stop ends in drug bust Tuesday

Bust nets cash, pot , pills and heroin

HYANNIS - While on plain clothes patrol Tuesday afternoon around 3:15 p.m., three members of the Barnstable Police Street Crime Unit (SCU) conducted a vehicle stop on Route 28 in Hyannis. According to a Barnstable police release, the driver of the vehicle, Richard B. Frega, had a suspended driver's license. Frega's passenger was identified as 23-year-old Christopher R. Wilkins of Bourne. 

Wilkins is well-known to law enforcement, police said. He was recently released from the Barnstable House of Correction after a 2 1/2 year stint for breaking and entering in the nighttime and assault with a dangerous weapon (handgun). Barnstable detectives arrested Wilkins in March 2008 for his involvement in a Marstons Mills home invasion.  Wilkins and another man entered the home masked and armed with a handgun. During the incident, the handgun was fired.  A female victim was threatened with the gun against her temple, according to police, and a male victim was pistol-whipped.  The second suspect has yet to be identified and the case remains open.

In 2006, Wilkins was sentenced to one year in jail after snatching a purse in the Cape Cod mall food court, police said.

Wilkins' criminal career continued this week with the discovery of $1,840 in cash, four grams of marijuana, 20 bags of heroin and 36 Percocet pills on Wilkins' person during the vehicle stop. Barnstable police estimate the street value of the seized drugs at $4,000.

Both Frega and Wilkins were arrested and will be arraigned in Barnstable District Court Wednesday. Frega was charged with operating with a suspended license and a registration plate violation. Wilkins was charged with possession of a Class A drug (heroin) with intent to distribute, possession of a Class B drug (Percocet) with intent to distribute and possession of a Class D drug (marijuana) with intent to distribute.

Source: Barnstable Police Department.

Violent wanted felon arrested by Yarmouth police Monday; Three arrested during drug raid in Marstons Mills Thursday

Violent wanted felon arrested by Yarmouth police Monday

SOUTH YARMOUTH - Around 2 p.m. Monday afternoon, Detective Sergeant Charles Peterson noticed a driver operating erratically on Seaview Avenue at the intersection of Parkwood Road. When Det. Sgt. Peterson attempted to pull the car over, the driver turned onto Parkwood Road, then onto South Shore Drive. According to a Yarmouth police release, the driver failed to stop reaching speeds of 50 mph in the densely populated neighborhood where the speed limit is 30 mph.

Luis A. Velazquez Jr. did not succeed in outrunning YPD Monday. YPD booking photo.

After a quarter mile, the vehicle stopped abruptly and the driver exited the car and ran towards a home in the area of 123 Seaview Avenue. Operating without a driver, the car continued at a low speed until it struck a boat on a trailer in a driveway, police said.

As backup including a K9 unit arrived, a female passenger, who was not injured during the incident, informed police that the driver, identified as Luis A. Velazquez Jr., 23, of 43 Aurora Lane, Apt. 2 in South Yarmouth, had several outstanding arrest warrants.

The officers secured an area around the home at 121B Seaview Avenue, according to police. Officers, include several Yarmouth officers who are also Cape SWAT team members, entered the home and located Velzaquez hiding in a crawl space in the attic, police said. Velzaquez was placed under arrest and transported to Yarmouth Police Station where he was held until his arraignment on Tuesday.

In addition to the following outstanding warrants:

• Felony damage to a motor vehicle (Barnstable District Court)
• Felony possession of a stolen motor vehicle (Taunton District Court)
• Felony leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash after causing injury (Taunton District Court)
• Felony larceny (Taunton District Court)
• Four counts felony assault and battery while armed with a dangerous weapon (Taunton District Court)

Velzaquez was charged Monday with:

Yarmouth officers receive official recognition

According to Yarmouth Police Deputy Chief Steven Xiarhos, each of the officers involved in the apprehension of Luis A. Velazquez Jr., have received a letter of accommodation from Chief Frank G. Frederickson. Those officers are: Detective Sergeant Charles E. Peterson, Lieutenant Michael Bryant, Lieutenant Kevin Lennon, Patrol Sergeant John Fallon, Detective Christopher Kent, Patrol Officer Brian Niezgoda, Patrol Officer Mark Noone, Patrol Officer Richard Fichter, Jr., K9 Patrol Officer Michael Kramer, K9 Kosmo, Patrol Officer George Tsoukalas, Patrol Officer Christopher VanNess, Patrol Officer Nicholas Ambrosini, Dispatcher Paul Leidenfrost.

• Operating after license revocation
• operating a vehicle so as to endanger
• Attaching registration plates to conceal the vehicle's identity
• Operating an unregistered motor vehicle
• Speeding (closed at 50 mph in a posted 30 mph residential zone)
• Failure to stay in marked travel lanes
• Failure to stop for a police officer
• Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash with property damage

Source: Yarmouth Police Department.

Three arrested during drug raid in Marstons Mills Thursday

MARSTONS MILLS - Last Thursday, the Barnstable Police Narcotics Unit executed a search warrant at 19 Lakeside Drive in Marstons Mills. According to police, the subject of the search warrant was 31-year-old Gerald Lopes. Lopes, a street level heroin dealer has been under investigation since his arrest during a drug raid at a West Yarmouth motel last month. During the raid on September 9, Lopes was arrested and charged with possession of a Class A drug (heroin) with intent to distribute. His bail was set at $2,000 and he was scheduled to appear in court on November 4.

According to police, the investigation into Lopes was initiated mid-October, after police suspected Lopes was selling heroin out of the home on Lakeside Drive. Lopes has been arrested and jailed on three separate illegal firearm possession charges in 2002, 2006 and 2009. Since 1996, Lopes has been arraigned as an adult fifty-six times, police said.

During Thursday's drug raid, Lopes and two others was arrested. Lopes was charged with possession of a Class A drug (heroin) with intent to distribute. The two others, Edward C. McDougall, 50, and Kathleen M. Connors, 50, were charged with knowingly being present where heroin is kept. During the raid, police found heroin and several hypodermic needles in the house. Officers also found heroin on Lopes's person, police said. In all, the estimated street value of the heroin seized was $500, according to police.

Lopes, McDougall and Connors were all arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Friday. Lopes's September bail was revoked and he was ordered held on $25,000.

Source: Barnstable Police Department.

Child injured, dad charged with OUI, hits ambulance twice

Father crashes into and ambulance twice, child in back seat without seatbelt on

Driver Kevin Curran hit Hyannis ambulance twice

HYANNIS - The 5-year-old son of Kevin Curran, 38, of Dennis, was injured and his father is facing several serious charges after his rear-end collision with a Hyannis ambulance at 10:30 p.m. last night. The Police report that the driver was wearing his shirt backward when police arrived.

Barnstable Sgt. Sean Sweeney said that the driver even managed hit the back of the ambulance not just once, but twice, and his car ended up attached to the rear bumper of the ambulance, no small feat for a guy with his dress shirt on backyards.

Mr. Curran was described by the investigating officer as being very unsteady on his feet, glassy-eyed, and smelling of alcohol when the Police arrived.

According to a report by officer Mark Butler, the ambulance was turning into onto Lincoln Road Extension from Route 28 when the collision occurred, and the emergency lights on the ambulance were flashing.

There were 75 feet of skid marks on Route 28 leading to the collision. Curran will be charged today with drunk driving, child endangerment, failure to secure a child 5 years old or under in a car seat, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle and driving a car without a proper inspection sticker and possession of a class B substance

Two seriously injured in Yarmouth crash Friday night

Victims rushed to Barnstable Airport to meet MedFlight to Boston

YARMOUTH - Two people were seriously injured in a single vehicle crash on West Yarmouth Road in Yarmouth Friday evening around 10:30 p.m. after their vehicle struck a tree.

Two of the victims were taken to Barnstable Municipal Airport to meet two MedFlight helicopters. They were reported to have sustained serious injuries.

A third victim, believed to be a young child, was transported to Cape Cod Hospital.

There is no word yet as to the cause of the accident or the identities of the victims.

Video and report by David Curran.

Mashpee man busted after B&E caught on video in Brewster

Mashpee man busted after B&E caught on video in Brewster

HYANNIS - At 10 p.m. last Saturday night, Brewster police responded to the reported break-in of a vehicle. According to a Brewster police release, a bank bag containing over $1,400 was stolen from the car. Officers soon learned the entire incident was caught on surveillance video.

Brewster detectives, assisted by Barnstable detectives, identified the suspect as 27-year-old Cory Walker of Mashpee. Wednesday, Brewster detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Walker from the Orleans District Court.  That same day, detectives from Brewster and Barnstable found Walker in the parking lot of a Hyannis business. He was taken into custody without incident, according to police.

Walker admitted to detectives that he broke into the car in Brewster and stole the bag of cash because he needed money to purchase drugs.

He was charged with motor vehicle breaking and entering and larceny over $250 and was arraigned in Orleans District Court on Thursday.

Source: Brewster Police Department.

Yarmouth police apprehend wanted man, allegedly high on bath salts

Yarmouth police apprehend wanted man, allegedly high on bath salts

WEST YARMOUTH - Early Thursday morning, just after midnight, Yarmouth police officers responded to a report of disorderly conduct at 76 Beach Road. According to the caller, a man armed with a lead pipe was yelling and screaming on the front lawn. Upon arrival, officers identified the man as 45-year-old Jerry White of 448 Main Street, Apt. A in Chatham.  According to a Yarmouth police release, White was wanted on two separate outstanding arrest warrants.

Jerry P. White, faces new charges and two outstanding warrants. YPD booking photo.

White was shirtless, carrying a 3-ft lead pipe and pacing back and forth. K9 Patrol Officer Michael Kramer ordered White to drop the pipe, White, glaring at the officers, refused and entered a camper located on the property.

Four people inside the home were yelling at White and the officers through several windows in the home. They were removed from the home and brought to a safe location, police said.

The officers were told that White was high on bath salts, a drug known to cause violent and disruptive outbursts. Attempts to communicate with White failed and a SWAT Team was requested at the scene. After SWAT arrived and took position, an officer saw White hiding underneath the trailer. He again refused to come out and K9 Patrol Officer Kramer ordered his dog Kosmo to apprehend White.

White eventually complied and came out from under the trailer after sustaining a dog bite, police said. White was placed under arrest, then transported to Cape Cod Hospital by Yarmouth Fire/Rescue with a police escort.

The lead pipe was taken as evidence and the scene and White's injury were photographed by Crime Scene Investigator William Jacques of the Barnstable County Sheriff's Department, police said.

White was arraigned Thursday on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest as well as the outstanding warrants for failure to appear on charges of assault and battery and disorderly conduct issued by the Barnstable Court and failure to comply with bail conditions for credit card fraud issued by the Orleans Court.

Source: Yarmouth Police Department.

Hyannis man busted for armed robbery and four other Main Street thefts; Harwich Fire Chief, Deputy Chief to be sworin in Thursday; YPD to host special SWAT presentation at the Yarmouth Senior Center Thursday

Hyannis man busted for armed robbery and four other Main Street theft

HYANNIS - Following an investigation into four separate break-ins at the Cape Cod Scenic Railway Office at 252 Main Street in Hyannis over the past month, Barnstable detectives with investigators from the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office, identified a suspect through forensic evidence.  The suspect, who stole cash during each of the four break-ins, was identified as Joseph Lebron, 36, of Crocker Street in Hyannis, according to a Barnstable police release.

Lebron was arrested by detectives at his home Wednesday afternoon. During his arrest, detectives recognized Lebron as the suspect wanted in a ATM robbery, police said. On October 6 video at the Bank of Cape Cod ATM on Main Street captured a man robbing another man at the ATM. The victim was assaulted with a knife after withdrawing cash from the ATM.

In addition to the charges of breaking and entering at night time with the intent to commit a felony (four counts), malicious destruction of property (four counts) and larceny (three counts) for the railway office break-ins, Lebron was also charged with armed robbery.

Following his arrest, according to police, Lebron confessed to all five crimes. He was held at the Barnstable Police Station pending his arraignment in Barnstable District Court Wednesday morning.

Source: Barnstable Police Department.

YPD to host special SWAT presentation at the Yarmouth Senior Center Thursday

SOUTH YARMOUTH - Thursday morning at 10 a.m., Yarmouth police will host a special Special Weapons and Tactics Team, or SWAT, presentation at the Yarmouth Senior Center on Forest Road in South Yarmouth. The Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team is made up of specially-selected officers from Cape departments, according to police.

Team members are highly trained to handle high risk situations including barricaded suspects, hostage situations, high risk warrant service and other situations requiring specialized training.

Officers from the towns of Barnstable, Brewster, Dennis, Mashpee, Orleans, Sandwich and Yarmouth are members of this highly specialized law enforcement team. The officers train monthly in order to keep their skills sharp.

Call the Senior Center at 508-394-7606 for more information or to reserve a seat.

Source: Yarmouth Police Department.

Harwich Fire Chief and Deputy Chief to be sworn in Thursday

HARWICH - The Harwich Fire Department invites the public to the swearing in of Fire Chief Norman Clarke Jr. and Deputy Fire Chief Kent Farrenkopf. The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, October 20 at 12 p.m. in front of the Harwich Fire Department Headquarters on Sisson Road.

Combined, Clarke and Farrenkopf have over 60 years experience in fire service. Clarke is currently the Deputy Fire Chief and Farrenkopf is the Captain of Group 4 in town.

The day of the swearing in ceremony will also mark the final day of work fir Fire Chief William Flynn. Flynn is retiring after having been with the Harwich Fire Department for over 30 years.

Source: Harwich Fire Department.