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THE CRIME NF: August 5th, 2020, Edition of the Niagara Reporter Newspaper

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Niagara Falls Reporter Staff  ·  August 4, 2020
THE CRIME NF: August 5th, 2020, Edition of the Niagara Reporter Newspaper
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-New York State Police attempted to stop a vehicle on the 2200 block of Centre Avenue in the morning hours of Monday, July 20th, 2020, after the vehicle refused to stop. The vehicle, a white Jeep Cherokee, continued in its attempt to flee on Centre Avenue blowing through traffic signals and stops signs until it crashed into a red Toyota Camry at which time two individuals were transported to the hospital with injuries. It was reported that the male suspect fled from the vehicle but he was apprehended shortly thereafter 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the 1700 block of Pierce and Whitney Avenue in the evening hours of Tuesday, July 21st, 2020, after reports of shots fired. According to reports, two individuals sustained gunshot wounds and were transported for treatment. One was taken to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center by personal vehicle and the other was taken to ECMC by ambulance. 22-year-old Jonathan Joseph was shot several times and died from his injuries. The individual taken to ECMC suffered injuries to his lower body and is in stable condition. Police are continuing to investigate the incident. 

-Niagara Falls Police and medical responded to the intersection of Niagara Falls Blvd. and Connecting Road on Tuesday, July 21st, 2020, after reports of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to Main Street in front of the Public Library on Tuesday, July 21st, 2020, after reports of a three-vehicle crash. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the 1100 block of Ferry Avenue in the late afternoon hours of Tuesday, July 21st, after reports of a fatal shooting. On July 27th, 2020, NFPD detectives charged 18-year-old Geoffrey O. Sandiford of Cleveland Ave., Niagara Falls, New York, for the murder of Nathan Craft who was pronounced dead at the scene. Sandiford was located in Avoca, New York, and arrested without incident by NFPD officers and the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task-Force. He is charged with Murder 2nd, an A felony, in addition to Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd, a C felony. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to Crackers Tavern on July 21st, 2020, after reports of a burglary for the second time in a seven-day period. According to police, the burglar stole an electronic dart machine an attempted to steal the money out of it. A passerby just so happened to drive by as the suspect was loading the machine into a stolen vehicle and followed him.

The suspect ended up ditching the machine and vehicle he was driving on the 300 block of Portage Road and fled on foot. The dart machine was recovered and returned to Cracker’s Tavern. Niagara Falls Police are continuing to investigate the incident. 

Niagara Falls Police, Fire and Medical responded to the 2400 block of Independence Avenue on Wednesday, July 22nd, after reports of a multi-vehicle hit and run incident with airbag deployment, a rollover, and reports of shots fired after the fact. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

-Niagara Falls Police responded to Old Falls Street and Prospect Street in the late hours of Friday, July 24th, 2020, after reports of a robbery. According to reports, six African American males robbed two people who were walking. Niagara Falls Police are continuing to investigate the incident. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the McDonald’s on Pine Avenue on Saturday, July 25th, 2020, after reports of disorderly conduct and property damage. According to police, there was an  angry customer who was not “Loving It” and became wild inside of the restaurant. Employees told police that the individual was fighting with them and ultimately threw a glass display where cookies are put at workers which shattered on the floor. Niagara Falls Police are continuing to investigate the incident.

-Niagara Falls Police Crash Management Unit responded to the intersection of 24th Street and Mackenna Avenue in the afternoon hours of Saturday, July 25th, 2020, to investigate a crash between a vehicle and an ATV that occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. A 19-year-old Niagara Falls man was operating a Yamaha ATV westbound on Mackenna Avenue, which is a one-way eastbound street, when he passed through the intersection with 24th Street and collided with a northbound 2000 Ford F150 pickup truck. The driver of the ATV was ejected and struck the windshield of the truck. He was transported to Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center where he succumbed to serious head and neck injuries. The driver of the truck and his two minor passengers were not injured. At this time, it does not appear he will be facing any charges. “ATV or UTV use is not permitted on a New York highway unless said highway has been designated and posted for ATV use by the state or local authority. For the most part, designated highways are limited to only the part of the highway between two off-highway ATV trails.

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the 400 block of Fifth Street in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 26th, 2020, after reports of shots fired. According to police, two armed men fired several shots into an apartment. Police believe that the men were attempting to hit a woman who was inside. No injuries were reported. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the 5600 block of Stephenson Avenue on Monday, July 27th, after reports of an overdose. According to reports, the individual was unresponsive on scene and transported to receive medical treatment at a hospital. 

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the LaSalle Yacht Club in the early morning hours of Tuesday, July 28th, after reports that a vehicle drove into multiple boats. Nineteen year old Neysia McCarthy of Niagara Falls had driven her 2017 Chevrolet through the parking lot, through the curbing and into two boats and a dock in the Niagara River. She alleges she panicked and was unable to stop when a spider fell on her while she was operating her vehicle. Ms. McCarthy and her 21 year old female passenger were uninjured in the crash. Each of the boats, a 1987 SunRunner and a 2020 Godfrey pontoon boat, sustained extensive damage. The dock and an electrical box owned by the LaSalle Yacht Club were also damaged. A heavy duty tow truck was required to remove the vehicle from its final resting place. Ms. McCarthy was issued appearance tickets for Reckless Driving and Failure to Reduce Speed. She is due in court on August 21, 2020. Despite the images, no injuries were reported. However, there was tens of thousands of dollars worth of property damage.

-On July 29, 2020, at approximately 10:23 p.m., Niagara Falls Police Officers responded to an accident heading westbound involving a vehicle and bicycle collision at the intersection of 28th and Pine Avenue. Eighteen year old Niagara Falls woman driving a 2012 Chevrolet struck a bicyclist who was coming out of the 7-Eleven parking lot to cross the street. The bicyclist was taken to ECMC with serious leg and head injuries. The bicyclist was identified as 58 year old Edward Cusatis. He remains in ECMC with multiple broken bones and lacerations.

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the Kay Bank Building on Main Street in the afternoon hours of Thursday, July 30th, 2020, after reports of an individual dancing in the street with a gun.

-Niagara Falls Police responded to the 1500 block of Whitney Avenue in the evening hours of Thursday, July 30th, 2020, after reports of shots fired. According to police, the back window of a vehicle was shot at. Police recovered about seven 9mm bullet casings. There were no injuries reported. Reports further indicate that shortly after a female called and reported that she had left her keys in her vehicle and that it had been stolen from the 1500 block of Whitney Avenue. Police believed that the alleged stolen vehicle was involved in the shooting incident. While police were investigating those two incidents a call came in of a male walking down the street with what appeared to be an assault rifle. Officers quickly responded to the area at which time the suspect took off and discarded the rifle in the alley.

-Niagara Falls Police responded to 7-Eleven on Pine Avenue in the morning hours of Sunday, August 2nd, 2020, after reports of an armed robbery. According to police, an individual demanded money from the cashier under threat of using a knife. In total, the individual got away with $150.

 

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