Jessica Holm, 29, of Riverhead was arrested there Friday morning for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, according to Riverhead Town police.

During a traffic checkpoint at the intersection of Middle and Mill roads, Ms. Holm was found operating a red 2002 Buick with an expired inspection. Around 10:46 a.m., Ms. Holm was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree, a misdemeanor; operating a motor vehicle without a license, a violation; and violating the operation of ignition interlock device.

• Police received two separate reports of a 25-year-old woman causing a disturbance at a home on Northville Turnpike early Sunday morning.

Around 3 a.m., a resident inside the home told police that the woman was talking to herself, moving furniture in her room and “acting strange while disturbing other residents.” Police allegedly interviewed the woman and told police she couldn’t sleep. Police determined she was not a threat to herself or others. The officer on duty then advised the woman to go to sleep and warned her that if police had to return, other actions might be taken.

At 5:24 a.m., a caller reported that the same woman was causing a disturbance. The caller reported that she broke house rules by trying to use the downstairs bathroom before 6 a.m. The caller said she discharged the woman and asked her to leave the property for violating house rules, but the woman refused.

Police arrived at the scene once again and asked the woman to leave the residence. Police reports said she complied and no further action was taken.

• A 48-year-old East Hampton man was arrested on Harrison Avenue in Riverhead Friday evening for violating a restraining order when he was found under the influence of alcohol while visiting his son, according to reports. He was charged with misdemeanor criminal contempt.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

The post Riverhead Blotter: Woman arrested for driving without license appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

(Credit: Stringer News)

A small plane crashed in a farm field on the north end of Harbes Farm in Mattituck Saturday morning killing two passengers on board, according to Federal Aviation Administration and police officials.

An FAA spokesperson said two people were on board the Beechcraft A36 when it crashed about 9:15 a.m. Lt. Richard Perkins of the Southold Police Department confirmed both passengers died in the crash. He said a dog escaped from the plane and survived. Investigators said the dog has been retrieved by a friend of the victims.

The plane had departed MacArthur airport around 9 a.m. before running into engine trouble en route to New England, Lt. Perkins said. The fire was extinguished by members of the Jamesport Fire Department, he said.

Investigators say the victims were a man and a woman, both from Oakdale. They are believed to be a boyfriend and girlfriend. Their names have not yet been released.

The FAA said it will be investigating the incident and the National Transportation Safety Board will determine the cause of the crash.

Police set up near Harbes Farm in Mattituck. (Credit: Steve Wick)

Chief Mario Carrera of the Jamesport Fire Department offered his condolences to the family of the victims in a statement he gave to the media.

“We arrived on the scene and the plane was pretty much fully engulfed and burning very well,” he said. “It was lost to the point where [the fire] was going out.”

Mr. Carrera said volunteers responded with two engines and heavy rescue equipment, dousing the last of the flames while doing their best to preserve the scene for investigators.

The Harbes Family released the following statement:

“This morning around 9:30 a.m., a small plane crashed in our field after flying low over our Mattituck property. Firefighters, police officers and rescue personnel arrived at the scene within minutes and put out the ensuing fire. This is a sad tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the passengers of the aircraft.”

The post Small plane crashes on North Fork; two people reported dead appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

A man and woman were arrested last Tuesday just before midnight after they allegedly robbed a man of $40 behind a church on Old Quogue Road in Riverside.

According to a police report, Riverhead police detained the suspects, 23-year-old Brianna Phillippe and 28-year-old Raymond Hubbard, after they fled on foot to Riverhead Free Library.

The pair were then transported to Southampton Town police headquarters for processing, where they were each charged with felony first-degree robbery.

• Police arrested a Flanders man for driving with a suspended license in Riverside Sunday afternoon.

Walter Cabrera, 29, was stopped for having a cracked windshield on Flanders Road near the traffic circle around 1:45 p.m. when an officer discovered his license had been suspended in May, police said.

He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, along with several vehicle violations. The vehicle was impounded due to lack of insurance, reports said.

• Alethea McElroy, 42, of Riverhead was arrested and charged with misdemeanor third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle near the intersection of Flanders Road and County Road 105 last Wednesday around 6:30 p.m., police said.

• Southampton police arrested Brandon Wollney, 21, of Flanders on drug charges after he was stopped for a seat belt violation near Oak Avenue last Tuesday evening.

Police, noticing an odor of marijuana coming from Mr. Wollney’s vehicle, recovered a THC vape pen and a bag of marijuana from his vehicle, officials said.

He was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor, and two violations, police said. Mr. Wollney was later released on bail and will appear in court later this month.

• Police arrested Mario Lopez-Perez, 40, of Flanders for driving while intoxicated near Quogue Avenue last Tuesday around midnight.

In addition to the DWI charge, Mr. Lopez-Perez was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, officials said.

• Joseph Dorn, 52, of Brooklyn was arrested for driving with a suspended license near the traffic circle in Riverside last Tuesday around 9 a.m.

He was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, police said.

• A woman was charged with felony criminal mischief after she turned herself in for breaking two televisions worth $1,800, reports said.

Sandra Carrillo, 34, was arraigned in Southampton Town Justice Court last Tuesday for third-degree criminal mischief, a felony.

Police reports did not describe where the televisions were located.

• Enrique Gomez, 67, of Riverhead was arrested for driving with a suspended license in Riverside last Monday around 10:30 a.m.

He was charged with misdemeanor third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, police said.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

The post Southampton Blotter: Two people arrested for robbing $40 from man appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

The four Hagerman firefighters who were arrested by Riverhead Town police following a brawl at East Wind Caterers in Wading River last March, are now suing the town in federal court for more than $1 million in punitive and other damages. 

The lawsuit was filed May 29 by Thomas Dunham, his sons Andrew and Brendan Dunham, and Corey Citarella, all of East Patchogue, in U.S. District Court. It names as defendants the Town of Riverhead; town police Sgt. Brian Gleason, who has since retired, and Officer Giuseppe Rossini; and Robert and Christina Kraham of Kings Park, whose wedding reception took place at East Wind on March 3, 2018, the same day as a Hagerman Fire Department installation dinner.

Thomas Dunham, currently the chief of the Hagerman Fire Department, was tried individually and was charged with resisting arrest and second-degree obstructing government administration. He was acquitted on the resisting arrest charge and convicted by a Riverhead Town jury of second-degree OGA following a trial in late March 2019.

Mr. Citarella and Andrew and Brendan Dunham were tried together in a separate trial in July 2018. All three were charged with third-degree assault and Andrew Dunham was also charged with second-degree harassment. A town jury found all three men not guilty of all charges.

Suffolk County assistant district attorney Blythe Miller said in court that the fight started between female members of the wedding party and women who attending the fire department dinner, when a member of the latter group stepped on a bridesmaid’s dress while trying to get past her on the stairs. Ms. Miller said in court that Mr. Kraham tried to break up the fight and was punched in the face by Brendan Dunham. But Mr. Kraham was unsure in court when questioned as to who threw the first punch in the melee, and video showed that he kept jumping back into the fight. 

“I was unconscious for about 30 seconds,” he said. Mr. Kraham suffered a broken nose, a concussion and other injuries and was taken to Peconic Bay Medical Center as a result, he said in court.

But in court papers filed in district court, the firefighters claim that the arrests were based on “alleged and/or coerced statements” from Mr. Kraham. They claimed the information used to support the arrest was “false and/or misleading.”

While in custody, the lawsuit says, Thomas and Andrew Dunham remained in handcuffs and were pushed to the ground, while Thomas Dunham, “due to the restraints placed upon him and the lack of care exercised by [Officer] Rossini, struck the ground first with his head and followed by other parts of his body.”

The lawsuit said Andrew Dunham was handcuffed and pepper sprayed and “struck about his body” while in the “confined space of the East Wind vestibule.”

Mr. Citarella and Brendan Dunham were both held overnight by police, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit claims excessive force, unreasonable search and seizure, violation of due process, physical pain and suffering, emotional trauma and suffering and loss of liberty.

Riverhead Supervisor Laura Jens-Smith said she hasn’t seen the lawsuit and thus could not comment.

tgannon@timesreview.com

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Prosecutors in the case of Thomas Murphy, the Holbrook man accused of driving drunk in a crash that killed a local Boy Scout and injured four others last September, will be permitted at trial to use statements he made while in police custody.

Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho denied a motion made by Mr. Murphy’s attorney, Steven McCarthy Jr., to suppress statements his client made as well as police evidence that he refused to take a chemical blood test three times.

Justice Camacho made the ruling Tuesday morning during what’s known as a pretrial Huntley Hearing, where the court reviews the manner in which police obtained statements from a defendant.

“[Mr. Murphy’s statements] were not obtained by coercion,” Justice Camacho said in his ruling. He also set a trial date for Sept. 18, when jury selection is expected to begin.

Mr. Murphy was allegedly driving his Mercedes-Benz drunk on David Terry Road in Manorville Sept. 30 when he struck and killed 12-year-old Andrew McMorris of Wading River, who was hiking with fellow Boy Scouts. Four others were injured during the crash.

At Tuesday’s hearing, two officers from the Suffolk County Police Department Seventh Precinct were called to testify about their procedure and interactions with Mr. Murphy both at the scene and at the precinct in Shirley.

Police officer Daniel Brecht testified that Mr. Murphy refused a preliminary breath test after admitting he had three drinks at the Swan Lake Golf Course in Manorville.

Mr. Brecht testified that Mr. Murphy refused a chemical test three times after being taken into custody and read his rights.

A warrant was later issued to obtain Mr. Murphy’s blood, showed a blood alcohol content of .13% more than three hours after the crash, prosecutors have said.

Mr. Brecht and Sergeant Thomas Kennedy both said Mr. Murphy made voluntary statements to officers, including that he had driven that road “a million times” and “never expected anyone to be walking there.” They said he also repeatedly asked about the condition of the scouts.

Mr. Murphy is facing a top charge of aggravated vehicular homicide, which carries a maximum sentence of 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison.

Justice Camacho had urged Mr. Murphy to plead guilty to spare Andrew’s family from additional pain and suffering by recounting the events at trial. And Mr. Murphy had said in several statements following his arrest that he planned to accept responsibility for the tragedy. Last month, he decided not to plead guilty to the full indictment and opted for trial.

Andrew’s mother, Alisa McMorris, said after the hearing that it was painful to relive the events of Sept. 30.

“I want justice served,” she said. “I’ve made friends with lots of other moms who belong to a club that none of us want to belong to and the recurring theme is we need to make this stop.”

Dozens of supporters, dressed in red and scouting uniforms, again filled the courtroom and stood with the family in support.

“My son can no longer walk,” Ms. McMorris told reporters outside of the courtroom. “Our family, friends and supporters here will now walk for him. When that day comes, we will be here strong and in force and en masse.”

Caption: Thomas Murphy at an earlier hearing. (Credit: Cyndi Zaweski)

tsmith@timesreview.com

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Update (9:55 p.m.): A Manorville man died after police believe he suffered a medical event while driving on the Long Island Expressway, leading to an accident that resulted in his Jeep overturning.

William Thomas, 60, was pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s office, according to Suffolk County police.

Mr. Thomas was driving a 2014 Jeep Patriot westbound on the LIE, just east of exit 70, when it veered off the road at approximately 4:50 p.m., police said.

A 55-year-old Riverhead woman who was a passenger in the Jeep was not injured, police said.

The vehicle was impounded for a safety check.

Original Post: Suffolk County Police detectives are investigating a crash on the Long Island Expressway that resulted in the road being closed from Manorville into Calverton Tuesday evening, according to police.

A Jeep Liberty ran off the road while headed west and overturned in Manorville, police said. The driver was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital in critical condition. A passenger was uninjured, police said.

Police closed the LIE from exit 70 to 73 while investigating. Riverhead police said they were assisting Suffolk police. Police were also blocking traffic southbound on Edwards Avenue from Route 25.

Photo caption: Police investigate the accident Tuesday. (Credit: Stringer News)

Suffolk police close of an entrance to the LIE by Edwards Avenue. (Credit: Mahreen Khan)

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A group that works to exonerate people wrongfully convicted has filed a lawsuit in the Appellate Division of New York State Supreme Court seeking full public disclosure of disciplinary proceedings against former Suffolk County prosecutor Glenn Kurtzrock.

Former district attorney Thomas Spota called for Mr. Kurtzrock’s resignation in May 2017 during the trial of Messiah Booker, the man accused of firing the fatal shot in the 2013 Flanders home invasion that led to the death of Demitri Hampton.

Mr. Booker was offered a plea deal after his attorney, Brendan Ahearn, discovered that Mr. Kurtzrock had failed to turn over key evidence that might have implicated other suspects as perpetrators, a violation of the courts’ Brady rules, which require prosecutors to disclose exculpatory evidence to the defense.

In its filing, the Innocence Project argues that the grievance committee for the Tenth Judicial District should allow full public access to Mr. Kurtzrock’s misconduct and disciplinary records.

“The public has a right to an attorney discipline process that is transparent, efficient and produces just results, especially for the most serious types of misconduct committed by lawyers who hold public office,” Nina Morrison, senior staff attorney for the Innocence Project, said in a statement.

During Mr. Booker’s trial, Mr. Ahearn noticed that a detective’s notes “jumped from a point in 2013 to a point in 2015,” according to the filing.

Suffolk County Justice John Collins subsequently ordered Mr. Kurtzrock to turn over the requested materials, which included hundreds of pages of police notes related to the investigation. The suit alleges that Mr. Kurtzrock “cherry-picked pages from police notes to conceal the fact that the police were informed that another individual named ‘DeShawn’ and his family [were] likely responsible for the murder for which Booker was on trial” and withheld pages containing an interview with an eyewitness who “believed an individual named ‘Jovan Creighton’ may have had some connection to the incident.”

Mr. Booker is currently serving a five-year sentence on a reduced charge of second-degree burglary. The second-degree murder charge he previously faced, which carried a possible life sentence, was dismissed after another ADA admitted that “it would appear based upon the record that we will be unable to prove that count beyond a reasonable doubt” in court.

Justice Collins said at the time that it was apparent there was “serious misconduct in the prosecution of [Mr. Booker]” and referred to the end result as a “travesty of justice.”

At the time, the DA’s office, which characterized his conduct as “inexcusable,” began an internal review of all of Mr. Kurtzrock’s cases. That review revealed he had committed similar Brady violations while prosecuting a case against Shawn Lawrence in 2015.

Mr. Lawrence, who was convicted of murder for a 2010 Amityville shooting, was six years into a 75-years-to-life prison sentence when he was released after the DA’s investigation uncovered 45 pieces of evidence that were withheld from the defense.

District Attorney Tim Sini’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

To date, no charges have been brought against Mr. Kurtzrock, who is now in private practice as a defense attorney and touts his experience as a “former homicide prosecutor” on his website.

Reached by phone last Wednesday, Mr. Kurtzrock forwarded a reporter’s inquiry to his attorney, David Besso of Bay Shore, who did not return several phone calls seeking comment.

Innocence Project officials expressed concern that Mr. Kurtzrock is continuing to practice law.

“[Mr. Kurtzrock] held a position of enormous trust and power and the courts have already found that he repeatedly and intentionally violated the law,” said Gregory Diskant, lead counsel on the case for the Innocence Project. “Yet two years later, he remains fully licensed to practice, and the public has no information as to whether the Grievance Committee is even seeking to discipline him,” wrote in a statement.

A woman who answered the phone at the grievance committee office also declined to comment on the matter.

While the grievance committee usually keeps its proceedings sealed unless legal action is pursued, the Innocence Project argues in a legal brief that details of Mr. Kurtzrock’s misconduct have already been published in media reports and thus do not risk damaging his reputation.

Jamal Davis, Mr. Hampton’s older brother, said he was surprised to learn that Mr. Kurtzrock was still practicing law privately.

He said in the months after the trial abruptly came to an end, he and his mother, Juanita Trent, wrote to the New York State Bar Association. “We had concerns about why he wasn’t disbarred,” Mr. Davis said.

Ultimately, the bar association responded and found insufficient reason to stop Mr. Kurtzrock from practicing.

“At the end of the day, he caused our family a lot of suffering and pain,” Mr. Davis said last Thursday, recalling a sense of betrayal felt in the courtroom that day. Justice, Mr. Davis said, has still not been served.

Reflecting on the outcome two years later, Mr. Davis believes that all of the evidence should have been included, despite having a strong case against Mr. Booker. “If you’re not prepared to go to trial with what you have, don’t go to trial,” he said, adding that the judge and jury should have had the last word.

A new set of criminal justice reform laws passed by state lawmakers in April included changes to the state’s discovery laws, which had not been updated since 1979.

The new rules, which take effect in January 2020, will no longer require defense attorneys to file requests for discovery and will instead require that evidence, including grand jury testimony and police reports, be turned over automatically 15 days after an indictment. In addition to the 15-day rule, prosecutors will be required to turn over information to defendants at least three days prior to the deadline for accepting a plea deal.

tsmith@timesreview.com

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A Shoreham-Wading River High School senior suffered serious injuries following a two-car crash in Shoreham Thursday evening, according to Suffolk County police.

Melissa Marchese, 18, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital following the collision on Route 25A that occurred at approximately 6:50 p.m., police said.

Ms. Marchese was a passenger in a 2007 Hyundai Elantra that was turning left onto Route 25A from Miller Avenue when it was struck by a westbound Honda Accord, police said. The driver of the Elantra, Evan Flannery, 17, and another passenger, Caroline Tyburski, 18, both of Shoreham, were transported to St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson with non life-threatening injuries, police said.

The driver of the Accord, Michael Troiano, 34, of Ridge was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries, police said. The vehicles were impounded for safety checks, police said.

The crash occurred just two weeks before Shoreham-Wading River’s graduation, the latest blow for a community that has dealt with numerous tragedies in recent years, including the death of 12-year-old Andrew McMorris of Wading River. Thursday was the final day of classes for Shoreham high school students and the senior recognition night event was scheduled for 7 p.m.

Ms. Marchese was a standout softball player at Shoreham who recently finished her final season. In December, she was one of 12 SWR seniors to announce their athletic college signings. She is signed to play softball at the University of Hartford. She was also a key contributor on the Wildcats’ basketball team this past winter.

Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call police at 631-852-8752.

joew@timesreview.com

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Robert Harris, 22, of Riverhead was arrested for driving while intoxicated Saturday evening after striking a vehicle that then crashed into the Meetinghouse Deli in Aquebogue, police reports said.

Police arrived at the Main Road deli around 6:41 p.m. and observed that Mr. Harris’ vehicle, a 2000 Jeep Cherokee, had sustained heavy front-end damage. Mr. Harris allegedly told police he fell asleep at the wheel and then collided with the other vehicle, which sustained heavy rear-end damage after hitting with the north side of the deli building, reports said.

The driver of the car Mr. Harris hit, an 82-year-old Flanders resident, was transported to Peconic Bay Medical Center via RVAC for evaluation of his injuries. His current medical condition is unclear.

Police reports said Mr. Harris had a odor of alcohol on his breath, watery eyes and slurred speech. Officers conducted a sobriety test, on which reports said Mr. Harris performed poorly. He was arrested, charged with one count of DWI and transported to Riverhead police headquarters for processing and holding.

• Eduardo Mejia, 28, of Riverhead was arrested for driving while ability impaired last Thursday evening at Seaside Grill in Riverhead, police reports said.

Mr. Mejia was pulled over on Railroad Avenue around 9 p.m. after failing to signal before a turn. Further investigation revealed Mr. Mejia was impaired by alcohol. He was arrested, changed with DWAI, transported to Riverhead police headquarters and held there for arraignment.

• Aquilino Flores, 28, of Mastic Beach was arrested Saturday evening in Riverhead on an outstanding bench warrant, reports said.

Mr. Flores was southbound on Edwards Avenue when he allegedly drove through a red light at the intersection of Edwards Avenue and Middle Country Road.

According to reports, Mr. Flores stated that he did not have a driver’s license. Upon investigation, police found Mr. Flores’ license had been revoked three times. He also had an outstanding arrest warrant related to the vehicle’s ignition interlock device, reports said.

Mr. Flores was placed under arrest around 11 p.m., and was charged with two violations and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor. He was transported to Riverhead police headquarters, where he was processed and held for morning arraignment.

• Police are investigating a report of harassment that occurred at Riverhead High School last Wednesday during school hours.

The mother of a 15-year-old student allegedly contacted police around 2:30 p.m. and said that at 12:30 p.m. her son had received violent text messages and three phone calls from unknown people. The woman told police one text message said, “I’m going to kill you.”

Police left a voice message with the alleged phone number asking the owner of the cellphone to contact the investigating officer in reference to harassment. Riverhead High School’s school resource officer documented the incident.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

The post Riverhead Blotter: DWI arrest after vehicle crashes into deli appeared first on Riverhead News Review.

Two Flanders women were arrested Saturday after police responded to a report of a robbery at Qwik Stop Deli on West Main Street, according to Riverhead Town police.

Police received a 911 call at approximately 2:40 p.m. and officers arrived on scene to find a man who had suffered a laceration to the face. Detectives investigating the incident determined he had been assaulted by two women.

The women arrested were Tonya Minter, 31, and Tamekia Issac, 33. Ms. Minter was charged with third-degree assault, a misdemeanor, and Ms. Issac was charged with third-degree assault and petit lerceny.

Police said the victim dropped money during the assault and Ms. Issac grabbed it off the floor before fleeing the scene.

Both women were released on appearance tickets for future court dates in the Riverhead Justice Court, police said.

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Suffolk County Police homicide detectives and Riverhead Town police detectives are investigating a drowning that occurred Saturday near Grangebel Park in Riverhead, according to Suffolk police.

The body of an unidentified man was found in the Peconic River, police said. Police responded to the scene at approximately 4:20 p.m.

The incident has been deemed non-criminal and the investigation is continuing, police said.

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Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Southampton Town police are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the people who burglarized a fast food restaurant in Riverside last month.

One or more suspects broke a window at McDonald’s, located at 30 Flanders Road, at approximately 3 a.m. May 7. The suspects entered the restaurant and stole cash, police said.

No further descriptions were available.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, texting “SCPD” and a message to “CRIMES” (274637) or by email at www.tipsubmit.com.

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A Georgia man convicted of killing retired Riverhead police officer Timothy Buckley and dumping his body in a wooded area in Myrtle Beach, S.C. will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

A jury found Johnathan Hillary, 32, guilty of murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and possession of a weapon following a four-day trial that ended Monday, according to the Horry County Solicitor’s Office.

Horry County Circuit Court Judge William McKinnon sentenced Mr. Hillary to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the murder charge plus 65 years on the remaining counts.

Prosecutors said Mr. Hillary killed Mr. Buckley after he and co-defendant Bernithia Young, desperate for money, sought out someone to rob on Sept. 29, 2016. They spotted Mr. Buckley drinking at a bar and targeted him, according to a report on Myrtle Beach Online.

Ms. Young, 36, who was charged with felony accessory after the fact, could face upgraded charges as she awaits trial, prosecutors said.

Johnathan Hillary in his police mug shot. (Credit: Horry County Police)

The remains of Mr. Buckley, a 51-year-old Army veteran, were found in November 2016, more than a month after he disappeared not far from where he was living in South Carolina. He was shot in the back of the head and a bullet hole in the back of his shirt tested positive for gunshot residue, prosecutors said.

His truck was later found at an apartment complex about seven miles from where his remains were located, prosecutors said. At trial, prosecutors said Mr. Hillary drove Mr. Buckley’s vehicle away from where he dumped the body.

A cellphone expert also testified that Mr. Buckley’s phone pinged from the same cell towers at Mr. Hillary and Ms. Young’s phones, prosecutors said.

A Wading River native, Mr. Buckley joined the Riverhead Town Police Department in 1989 and was its Officer of the Year in 2005, according to previous News-Review reports. He served two years on the Riverhead Town Board before resigning in 2009 to help care for his ill wife, who died not long after his death.

His daughter Kaitlin was among the witnesses to testify at the trial last week, according to reports.

Top Caption: Mr. Buckley as a candidate for Riverhead Town Board. (Credit: Barbaraellen Koch)

gparpan@timesreview.com

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Update: Police confirmed Thursday night that Shannon Sypher has been located unharmed.

Original Story: Riverhead Town police are seeking the public’s help to locate a missing woman who is currently homeless.

Shannon Sypher, 36, is 5 feet, approximately 130 pounds with blue eyes, brown hair and was last seen wearing blue jeans, a pink T-shirt and white sneakers. She has used he grandmother’s South Jamesport address in the past, police said. She has been known to frequent the Riverhead, Patchogue and Port Jefferson Station areas.

Police said in a follow-up press release that family members had not seen or heard from Ms. Sypher in several days, which is out of character for her.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 631-727-4500.

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A motorcyclist was injured after being struck by another vehicle on Route 25A in Shoreham Friday night, according to Suffolk County police.

A 58-year-old Manorville woman was pulling her 2012 Dodge Challenger out of Shoreham plaza when she struck a 2016 Triumph motorcycle that was traveling westbound, police said.

The motorcyclist, a 43-year-old Westhampton man, was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital was injuries that were not life threatening, police said. The woman was not injured. Police did not disclose the identities.

Suffolk County Police Seventh Squad detectives were investigating at the scene and the road was closed for several hours between Miller Avenue and George Avenue. Police said around 11:30 p.m. Friday that the road was reopening shortly.

The crash occurred at nearly the identical location as last week’s fatal crash at the Miller Avenue intersection that claimed the life of Shoreham-Wading River High School senior Melissa Marchese. Her funeral is Saturday morning.

Caption: The scene of Friday’s crash. (Credit: Fully Involved Media Group LLC)

joew@timesreview.com

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Bradford Reeve, 45, of Aquebogue, was arrested on Main Road in Aquebogue last Saturday morning, June 15, for criminal contempt and harassment, reports said.

A male caller reported that around 10:37 a.m., he was threatened by Mr. Reeve, who was violating an order of protection by coming to his residence.

Police arrived at the scene and confirmed that Mr. Reeve, who was present, was violating an order of protection. He was arrested and charged with criminal contempt in the second degree, a misdemeanor, and harassment in the second degree, a violation. Mr. Reeve was transported to Riverhead Police Department headquarters, processed and held for arraignment.

• Chester Friszolowski, 57, of Riverhead, was arrested on Peconic Bay Boulevard in Aquebogue Friday evening for driving while intoxicated, reports said.

Mr. Friszolowski was allegedly stopped around 11 p.m. after making an improper left turn in his 2007 white Ford van, reports said. Upon further investigation, police confirmed Mr. Friszolowski was intoxicated. He was arrested and charged with one count of DWI, transported to police headquarters and held for arraignment. 

• Esteban Rojas, 36, of Riverhead was arrested in Riverhead last Thursday evening for endangering the welfare of child, reports said.

Around 10 p.m., a caller reported a young child walking alone on Roanoke Avenue near Old Country Road. Riverhead Town police located the child’s mother, who was working at KFC at the time. Police then escorted the mother and child, age 4, to their home on Roanoke Avenue. 

An officer arrived at the residence and spoke to Mr. Rojas, the father, who stated that he was sleeping when the child left the house. Mr. Rojas was arrested for endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, and transported to Riverhead headquarters, where he was processed and held for morning arraignment. Child Protective Services referral and domestic incident reports were completed, reports said. 

• Police are investigating a report of criminal mischief that occurred on Laurin Road in Calverton last week, reports said.

An individual reported last Thursday that around 10:30 p.m. the previous night, an unknown person threw a brick through the rear window of his vehicle. The window is valued at $300, reports said. 

Police were unable to obtain surveillance video of the area, but will continue to conduct extra patrols in the vicinity, reports said. 

• Tracey Brown, 51, of Sayville was arrested at the intersection of Old County Road and Pulaski Street Monday morning for aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, reports said.

Mr. Brown was allegedly pulled over in a 2012 Jeep Patriot for speeding, reports said. Upon further investigation, he was found to be driving without a license. He was arrested and charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, a misdemeanor, and four violations: failing to use a turn signal, disobeying a traffic-control device such as a light or stop sign, driving over the speed limit and disobeying a right-of-way sign. Mr. Brown was transported to police headquarters and held for arraignment, reports said. 

• Police are investigating a report of a burglary that occurred Saturday evening at Grace Episcopal Church on Roanoke Avenue in Riverhead, police reports said.

An unknown individual allegedly entered the church around 8 p.m. by breaking the locks on the front door, reports said. The suspect then damaged several other doors inside the building, causing roughly $1,000 in damage. A police report was compiled Saturday evening at 9:42 p.m. Additional information was not made available.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

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New York State police arrested a 35-year-old Riverhead man for drunken driving on County Road 104 in Riverside Saturday.

Police said Hugo Jacobo-Plato was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, second-degree falsifying business records and false personation around 12:58 a.m.

• Southampton Town police arrested a Shirley woman for driving with a suspended license in Flanders around 1 a.m. Sunday.

According to a report, Cynthia Brown, 60, was involved in a motor vehicle accident near Dale Avenue in Flanders when an officer discovered her license had been suspended.

She allegedly told police that she was trying to do the right thing despite her license being suspended because her passenger was intoxicated.

Police also found she was intoxicated and arrested her for operating a motor vehicle intoxicated as well as aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

• A Riverside resident called Southampton Town police Sunday evening to report that an unknown male stole a flowerpot from their front porch around 5:30 p.m.

• Police arrested a Riverhead man after he fled the scene of an accident in Hampton Bays Saturday.

According to a police report, Francisco Velasquez-Parede, 59, was allegedly involved in an accident at the intersection of Tiana Road and Springville Road around 5:30 p.m. before leaving the scene.

He was located by town police in the area and arrested for second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and two vehicle violations.

• An 18-year-old from Riverhead was arrested on several charges Saturday after he attempted to flee from police.

Southampton Town police department officials said an officer attempted to stop Troyshawn Burgess on Riverside Drive near Cross River Drive around 5 a.m. for a traffic infraction, but he continued speeding in excess of 40 mph over the posted limit.

He then allegedly struck a curb, causing damage to his vehicle and attempted to flee on foot before he was apprehended by police.

Mr. Burgess was charged with third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, resisting arrest, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, which are all listed as misdemeanors, as well as several violations, reports said.

• Police arrested a 23-year-old East Quogue man for driving with a revoked license in Flanders last Wednesday around 8:20 p.m.

Police reports said that Matthew Connor was stopped on Old Riverhead Road for having an expired registration sticker. Further investigation revealed that he had been driving with a revoked license and failed to use an ignition interlock device.

He was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and circumventing a court-ordered interlock device, both misdemeanors, as well as a vehicle violation.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

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A taxi driver was reportedly robbed after picking up three men in Riverhead late Wednesday night, according to Riverhead Town police.

The suspects remain at large.

Police received a report at approximately 11:52 p.m. of a robbery in the parking lot of the Riverhead B.J.’s Wholesale. The victim, a 38-year-old man, had been dispatched to pick up three men to bring them to the B.J.’s store parking lot. One of the men put a knife to the driver’s neck when exiting the taxi and demanded he give him money, according to police. A second suspect then stole money from the driver’s pocket.

The suspects fled the scene in a northbound direction toward Route 58, police said.

Patrol units responded to the area to search for the suspects along with the Riverhead K-9 unit. No suspects could be found.

The three men are described as being around 5-foot-5, possibly in their early 20s with a thin build and Hispanic. Anyone with information is asked to call Riverhead police at 631-727-4500.

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A Coram man who was forced to make an emergency landing while gliding in an electric paramotor at Reeves Beach in Riverhead left the scene unharmed Monday afternoon.

John Rodriguez, 56, said he arrived at Reeves Beach in Riverhead early Monday morning with his daughters, Olivia, 15, and Cassie, 13, to fly his single-person 2017 Vittorazi paramotor.

After flying his regular eastbound route, he turned around and started heading west to return to where he took off from.

As he descended to 800 feet, he realized he was facing an emergency: His machine had shut down and he ran out of gas. As he attempted to restart it, he focused on finding a landing spot, he said.

“When you train for this sport, the first thing they teach you is not to panic,” he said. “If you do, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way. If I was one to panic, I would not be in this sport.”

Before his flight, Mr. Rodriguez had inserted a flagpole with streamers attached to it into the ground at Reeves Beach to help him recognize the direction of the wind but he was about five miles away from where he planted it. He soon realized he was coming in hot and was forced to land in the direction the wind was blowing, which flyers try to avoid, he said.

As he swooped toward the shoreline, he dragged his feet to slow the impact, he said.

“I had no choice but to pull down, because ahead of me was this big, huge boulder,” he said. “I didn’t want to compromise myself on that rock.”

Mr. Rodriguez in the air. (Courtesy photo)

He landed unharmed in an empty area on the beach, though he said part of his machine took a beating — the cage, which protects the motor and propeller, was damaged.

After calling his daughters to explain what had happened, he walked along the shoreline with his parachute and motor for 45 minutes searching for help. As soon as he noticed a stairway entrance to the Willow Ponds on the Sound condominium community, he dropped the equipment.

A community member drove him back to his pickup truck and daughters. Mr. Rodriguez then drove back to the beach to collect all his equipment.

He soon faced another setback: His car became stuck in the sand after his four-wheel drive malfunctioned, a police report said. He contacted the Riverhead Police Department, who then requested Jimmy’s Jet Towing Inc. of Riverhead remove the car from the sand. Employee Trisha Burton said Mr. Rodriguez was able to fit the paramotor into the back of his truck and head home.

Mr. Rodriguez said he’s grateful that he was unharmed, but he was left with a reminder about the safety of paramotor gliding. The sport is unregulated, he said, which means gliders need to take more responsibility for their safety.

“We have to respect the sport, and really respect our surroundings to continue flying on Long Island,” he said. “We can’t put the sport in jeopardy.”

Mr. Rodriguez learned to paramotor glide three years ago, he said.

knalepinski@timesreview.com

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Three people on a small fishing boat needed help when a dense fog left them unable to navigate back to shore, according to Riverhead Town police.

Police received a call at 9:45 p.m. Tuesday from a fisherman in Long Island Sound who said he was with two other men in a 10-foot aluminum boat. The boat, he said, was operable, but they had lost their sense of direction amid the fog and requested assistance. 

The Riverhead police dive/rescue team was notified, along with the U.S. Coast Guard, state Department of Environmental Conservation and Jamesport Fire Department. The police dive/rescue team located the vessel approximately one mile north off the shore in Laurel. 

The boat was towed back to Iron Pier with the three Riverhead men aboard. No injuries were reported. Police said all the fishermen were wearing life vests.

• A suspicious vehicle at Enterprise Park at Calverton early Tuesday morning prompted a police investigation, reports said.

During patrol at 2:07 a.m., an officer noticed a white trailer with a New Jersey license plate left unsecured with equipment left outside. Upon further investigation, police found the vehicle was connected to a drilling company. Police left a message for the general contractor of EPCAL, but did not receive an immediate response. No further action was taken by police, reports said. 

• Police responded to a report of over $6,200 in lost property that occurred on Ida Lane in Aquebogue last Thursday, reports said.

Around 8 p.m., the homeowner told police he misplaced $6,200 in cash and an unused Galaxy 7 cellphone, valued at $50, somewhere in his home. According to reports, the individual stated, “I kept moving the money around, trying to find a good hiding spot. I may have found a hiding spot while I was drunk, and now I can’t find my money.” 

The officer on duty advised the individual to notify the police department if he locates the money and cellphone. No further action was taken. 

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.

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