Police and Fire News

Yarmouth police arrest man after violent attack, seize loaded .357 Magnum

Serial number on gun defaced, investigation continues

Michael A. Randall. YPD booking photo.YARMOUTH PORT - A Fresh Holes man faces a long list of charges after being arrested at his girlfriend's home in Yarmouth Port last Friday. According to a Yarmouth police release, officers responded to a domestic violence call at 145 Union Street Friday evening around 8 p.m.

At the home, the victim told officers her boyfriend, 21-year-old Michael A. Randall of 42 Fresh Holes Road in Hyannis, had attacked her and may still be armed with a loaded gun.

Officers arrested Randall at the woman's home. According to police, they also found the gun--a loaded and unsecured .357 Magnum handgun.  The serial number on the firearm had been defaced.

Randall was placed under arrest and transported to the Yarmouth Police Station where he was processed and charged with the following:

• Assault and battery
• Improper storage of a firearm
• Felony unlawful possession of a firearm
• Unlawful possession of ammunition
• Felony assault to murder
• Felony assault and battery while armed with a dangerous weapon
• Felony possession of stolen property
• Possession of a defaced firearm
• Felony breaking and entering in the nighttime
• Destruction of property

Michael A. Randall was arraigned in Barnstable District Court on Monday.

The investigation into the stolen Magnum continues.

Truro police officers and firefighters come to the aid of a deer stuck in a well

Frantic and exhausted deer freed Sunday afternoon

TRURO - A trapped and visibly frightened deer received a helping hand Sunday afternoon when Truro police and firefighters came to its rescue. According to a Truro police release, around noon on Sunday, Officer Jeremiah Valli responded to the report of a deer stuck in a well.  The owner of 5 Marshall Lane told Officer Valli that while walking their dog, they noticed a deer was stuck in an old well on the property and was unable to free itself.

Due to the steep incline of the well, the deer was unable to escape without assistance. Truro Fire Chief Brian Davis, Fire Captain Shannon Corea and firefighter David Gonsalves, along with Environmental Police Officer Mike Camire, joined Officer Valli at the scene. After several attempts at snaring the deer failed, Captain Corea was lowered into the well and succeeded in tying two ropes around the 120-lb animal's body, according to police.

Once the ropes were secured, the deer was hoisted out of the well. The deer was exhausted, but appeared to have sustained only minor injuries. Once freed from the ropes, the deer disappeared into the Pamet Valley marsh, police said.

Three injured in two-car crash on Route 6 in Wellfleet Monday morning

Car vs. van sends three to the hospital

WELLFLEET - Slippery roads have sent several people to the hospital across the Cape Monday, with car crashes reported in Chatham, Hyannis and Wellfleet.  In Wellfleet, three people were injured when a 2007 Ford Econovan owner by Cape Abilities and driven by 64-year-old Michael Downs of Eastham, collided with a 2005 Mitsubishi Gallant owned and operated by 52-year-old Robert LaFrance of Eastham.

According to a Wellfleet police release, the accident occurred around 7:25 a.m. Monday morning on Route 6, just north of the police and fire stations.

Three people, the two passengers in the van and the driver of the Gallant, were transported to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis with injuries reported to be serious but non life-threatening.

The driver of the van was traveling in the westbound land and the driver of the Gallant was in the eastbound land when the collided just south of Briar Lane. Route 6 was slippery and there were patches of ice along the highway, according to police.

Traffic was detoured down Briar Lane for about an hour  while the scene was cleared.

Wellfleet police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Almost a month ago, the driver of a Cape Abilities van was involved in a crash in Sandwich.

Two-car accident on Route 132 in Hyannis Monday

Northbound Route 132 closed for investigation

HYANNIS - One person was injured in a two-vehicle accident at the intersection of Route 132 and Attucks Lane in Hyannis Monday afternoon around 12 p.m. 

The victim's injuries are not believed to be serious. 

One lane of traffic was closed on the northbound side of Route 132 while police investigated the crash. 

Photo by David G. Curran.

Black ice claims two cars at Ryder's Cove today

Serious injuries reported

   This was the scene at 8:15 a.m. today when the red and blue cars above collided on Route 28 in North Chatham. A sand truck quickly made the area safer. Photos by Patricia Brooks.

CHATHAM - The accident was less than a 200 feet north of the scene of last Friday's mishap when a Chatham town truck vaulted over the guardrail and ended up a few feet from the cove.

On right, above, the wrecker driver picks up the battery from the red car which flew out of the engine compartment due to the severity of the impact.

Below, on right, the wrecker driver prepares to hoist the first car on his rig with the head of Ryder's Cove in the background.

Below, the second car ended up fifty-feet further north.

Black ice blamed

Today's accident was caused by black ice on this still-shaded corner of Route 28.

Shortly after the accident, a town sand truck came to spread sand on the area.

There was a passing shower in the area about an hour before and while temperatures were 38 degrees at the scene above, the roadbed was still extremely slippery.

Photos by Patricia Brooks, Cape Cod TODAY.

Eastham police announce new "tips" email address

Residents encouraged to report crimes to police

EASTHAM - Earlier this month, Eastham Police Chief Edward Kulhawik announced a new crime tips email address: crimetips@eastham-ma.gov.  The email address has been made available for residents of Eastham to report crimes that have occurred and to also provide police with information that may prevent a future crime.

The email account will be monitored by Eastham detectives.

Residents are encouraged to join the department in keeping Eastham safe by emailing detectives any relevant information about criminal activity in the community.

Chatham Town truck vaults guardrail, heads for water

Heavy fog blamed for Route 28 town truck accident on Ryder's Cove

CHATHAM - Shortly before 9 this morning a Town of Chatham truck heading south on Route 28 alongside Ryder's Cove ended up over the guardrail and ended up a few feet from the cold, saltwater. That's fog over the cove behind the trucks above and below.

The heavy pea soup fog is blamed for the accident which occurred directly across from the Marconi Museum. No one was injured. In these photos the truck is being hoisted back on the road.

-Photos by Pat Brooks.

New Bedford gang members busted on heroin distribution charges

K9 sniffs out coke and heroin in pair's undergarments

Both were on probation when arrested in Hyannis Wednesday

Left to right: Aaron Magnett and Shameka Clement. BPD booking photos.

HYANNIS -Two known New Bedford gang members were arrested Wednesday during an arranged drug buy in a Route 132 parking lot.  Aaron Magnett, 22, and Shameka Clement, 28, both of New Bedford, were the focus of a three-month illegal narcotics investigation conducted by Barnstable Narcotics detectives and members of the Bristol County Sheriff's Narcotics Unit.

According to a Barnstable police release, Magnett traveled from New Bedford to Cape Cod every day to distribute heroin and cocaine. During the investigation, undercover officers bought heroin from Magnett in Bourne, Hyannis and Orleans.

After learning of an arranged buy Wednesday, a team of Barnstable detectives, Bristol County sheriffs and members of Cape Cod SWAT descended upon a Route 132 parking lot arresting Magnett and Clement. Both are known members of the New Bedford street gang United Front and possess lengthy rap sheets filled with drugs and weapon charges.

A Mashpee K9 was brought in to sniff out drugs.  The dog located heroin and coke in Magnett's undergarments and cocaine in Clement's, police said.  Police estimate the value of the drugs seized Wednesday at $2,000.

The pair were placed under arrest and transported to the Barnstable Police Station where they were processed and held on $10,000 bail until their arraignment in Barnstable District Court Thursday.  Magnett and Clement were charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate the Controlled Substance act. Additionally, Aaron Magnett was charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

According to police, Clement is currently on supervised release from Boston Federal Court stemming from a 2010 conviction for cocaine distribution and Magnett is on New Bedford District Court probation. Both were arrested in a federal gang investigation in 2009 in Bristol County.

One injured in two-car Route 132 head-on in Hyannis

Busy day for police, rescue personnel on Route 132 Wednesday

HYANNIS - One person was injured in a two-car head-on crash at the entrance to Friendly's on Route 132 in Hyannis. The crash occurred around 2:20 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. 

Rescuers were evaluating the injuries of a female passenger at the scene. The woman's injuries are not believed to be serious.

Barnstable police are investigating the cause of the crash.

Earlier Wednesday, a tour bus crashed into three cars when its brakes failed further down on Route 132.

Photo and report by David G. Curran.

Brakes out, bus driver sideswipes three cars on busy Route 132 in Hyannis

No injuries reported Wednesday morning

HYANNIS - There were no injuries Wednesday morning when a motor coach sideswiped three cars before coming to rest at a guard rail on busy Route 132 in Hyannis.  According to the driver of the bus, he hit three cars before successfully bringing his bus to a stop after the brakes failed. 

Fifty-yard skid marks were visible at the scene of the crash.  The driver was on the way to pick up the Danville Dashers Federated Hockey League Team in Hyannis when the brakes on the bus went. There were no passengers on the bus and no reported injuries.

Compounding the usual weekday morning traffic on busy 132, the crew of a MedFlight helicopter had also landed on the northbound side of the highway, responding to a separate incident.

Barnstable police were assisted by State Police at the scene. The crash is under investigation.

The Danville Dashers are in town to face the Cape Cod Bluefins at the Hyannis Youth and Community Center, Thursday and Friday night at 7:05 p.m.

Photo and report by David G. Curran.