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Western Mass News

Teen Shot After Jumping Into Stranger's Car At Springfield Gas Station: Cops Teen Shot After Jumping Into Stranger's Car At Springfield Gas Station: Cops
Teen Shot After Jumping Into Stranger's Car At Springfield Gas Station: Cops A 16-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after someone shot him when he got into their car at a gas station over the weekend, authorities said.  Officers received a Shotspotter alert around 6:45 p.m. for Citgo in the 0-100 block of Locust Street on Sunday, Nov. 5, Springfield police said.  Investigators said the shooting happened when the boy got into the driver's seat of someone's car. The shooter got into the car and drove away following the incident.  Paramedics took the teen to Baystate Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.  Spring…
'Distraught' Family Displaced After 2-Alarm Fire Destroys Western Mass Home 'Distraught' Family Displaced After 2-Alarm Fire Destroys Western Mass Home
'Distraught' Family Displaced After 2-Alarm Fire Destroys Western Mass Home After a multi-alarm fire tore through a home in Western Massachusetts this week, a family "will be spending the next several weeks finding out what is next," according to an online fundraiser.  Kate Matthews and her children were among those displaced by a 2-alarm fire that broke out on Phelps Avenue in Westfield Tuesday afternoon, June 27.  Not only did Matthews lose her home, she also lost all her family's personal belongings "due to fire and water damage," a GoFundMe campaign organized by her sister Jennifer Floran reads.  Umm. Long time no see. Anyone see that news story about a f…
Teen Who Drowned In Pool ID'd As Agawam High Student Teen Who Drowned In Pool ID'd As Agawam High Student
Teen Who Drowned In Pool ID'd As Agawam High Student A 17-year-old Agawam High School student died late Monday night, May 30, after he drowned in a privately owned swimming pool.  Ömercan Karaarslan was described by school officials as a wonderful young man, loved by his classmates and adored by his teachers. He is going to be sadly missed by our school," they told Western Mass News.  Little is known about the circumstances surrounding Karaarslan's death. Police are investigating the cause of the drowning and have said he was swimming in a home pool in the Feeding Hills area of town.  Firefighters responded to a…
Hunter Finds Man's Remains In Westfield Park 3 Years After He Vanished: Police Hunter Finds Man's Remains In Westfield Park 3 Years After He Vanished: Police
Hunter Finds Man's Remains In Westfield Park 3 Years After He Vanished: Police A hunter looking for game in a Westfield park found more than he wanted when he unearthed the remains of a man who disappeared three years ago, authorities said. Timothy Kolendo went missing in November 2019. He had a history of mental illness, and his friends said he may have been paranoid and wanted to get "off the grid" when he disappeared, Westfield police said. He left behind his cell phone and keys and vanished.  He was 53 when he went missing.  Police said there was no sign of foul play at his home, but they did not rule out that something could have happened to him elsewh…
Teacher Charged With Raping Springfield Student Decade Ago: Reports Teacher Charged With Raping Springfield Student Decade Ago: Reports
Teacher Charged With Raping Springfield Student Decade Ago: Reports Multiple outlets reported that a 44-year-old teacher is accused of raping a student at New Leadership Charter School more than 10 years ago.  David Weremay of Florence, Northampton is accused of four counts of aggravated statutory rape of a child, five counts of indecent assault and battery on a person 14 or over, two counts of accosting or annoying another person, and intimidation of a witness, according to MassLive.  Western Mass News received a copy of the investigation report that said the crimes happened on Sept. 1, 2011. Calls to the Springfield Police spokesperson…
'Best Dad Ever' Turns Himself In For Killing Man With His Car In Chicopee: DA 'Best Dad Ever' Turns Himself In For Killing Man With His Car In Chicopee: DA
'Best Dad Ever' Turns Himself In For Killing Man With His Car In Chicopee: DA A 35-year-old Springfield man seemingly tried to impress a superior court judge by wearing his "Best Dad Ever" shirt during his arraignment on charges he drove over a Chicopee man last month and left him to die on the side of the road.  Eric St. Andre is accused of crashing into 60-year-old Gary Turcotte just before 5 p.m. on Nov. 30 as he made his way through a crosswalk in the 900 block of Chicopee Street, the Hampden District Attorney Office's said. Paramedics rushed Turcotte to Baystate Medical Center, but doctors couldn't save his life.  After weeks of investigation, officers got a wa…
Wanted NY Felon Evades Capture After Police Chase In Springfield: Report Wanted NY Felon Evades Capture After Police Chase In Springfield: Report
Wanted NY Felon Evades Capture After Police Chase In Springfield: Report A fugitive wanted out of New York escaped arrest Thursday night, Dec. 8, after leading police on a chase through Springfield, Western Mass News reports.  The unnamed fugitive crashed their car near Roosevelt Avenue and Bay Street and ran away, the outlet said. The passenger remained in the car and was arrested on a parole violation, police officials told the new station. Officers on Friday said they were still searching for the suspect.  Click here to read the full story from Western Mass News.
Second Person Fatally Struck By Car On Same Street In Chicopee This Week Second Person Fatally Struck By Car On Same Street In Chicopee This Week
Second Person Fatally Struck By Car On Same Street In Chicopee This Week A pedestrian has been fatally struck by a car on the same street in Chicopee for this second time this week, Western Mass News reports.  Police responded to the crash near Jenrose Liquors on Chicopee Street around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 30, Chicopee Police said on Facebook.  While the person's condition was immediately unknown, Western Mass News said the victim died on Thursday. The incident is being called a hit-and-run, the outlet said citing Chicopee Police. 7:10pm update: Chicopee St is now open **************Road Closed*********** Chicopee St is closed in the area of... …
Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts City: Report Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts City: Report
Pedestrian Struck, Killed By Car In Western Massachusetts City: Report One person is dead after they were hit by a car in Chicopee, Western Mass News reports. Police responded to the crash on Chicopee Street around 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 28, according to Chicopee Police on Facebook and Western Mass News. The crash shut down Chicopee Street from Celestine Street as a result, according to police. ************ Road Closed******* Chicopee St is closed from Celestine to Charpentier due to a motor vehicle crash.... Posted by Chicopee Police Department on Monday, November 28, 2022 The driver of the vehicle involved stayed on scene, Western Mass News reports.…
Armed, Dangerous Man Wanted For CT Shooting Apprehended: UPDATE Armed, Dangerous Man Wanted For CT Shooting Apprehended: UPDATE
Armed, Dangerous Man Wanted For CT Shooting Apprehended: Update UPDATE (11/7/2022): The Russell-Montgomery Police Department said Darnell Barnes was arrested in West Hartford on Monday, Nov. 7.  Shooting suspect Darnell Barnes has been taken into custody in West Hartford CT yesterday at approximately 11:30pm. Posted by Russell - Montgomery Police Department on Monday, November 7, 2022 Authorities are searching Western Massachusetts for an armed and dangerous man wanted in connection with a Connecticut shooting. Darnell Barnes, age 22, allegedly shot someone multiple times in West Hartford Thursday night, Nov. 3, Massachusetts State Police said. Bar…
Multiple Crews Battle 4-Alarm Fire In Western Massachusetts (UPDATE) Multiple Crews Battle 4-Alarm Fire In Western Massachusetts (UPDATE)
Multiple Crews Battle 4-Alarm Fire In Western Massachusetts (Update) Multiple crews were on the scene of a 4-alarm fire that spread to two buildings in western Massachusetts, the West Springfield Fire Department said on Twitter.  WSFD is currently sending E2 mutual aide to the town of Russell for a 3 alarm fire. pic.twitter.com/eCe74mKoCf — W. Spfld Fire Dept. (@WSFD01089) July 26, 2022 The fire broke out at a building on Woronoco Road around 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 26, Russell Police said on Facebook.  This happened at the Strathmore Mills, which have been vacant for years, Western Mass News reports. A witness told the outlet that the fire appeared to …
Charges Filed Against Mother Of 4-Year-Old Boy Run Over With Truck Charges Filed Against Mother Of 4-Year-Old Boy Run Over With Truck
Charges Filed Against Mother Of 4-Year-Old Boy Run Over With Truck Charges have been filed after a four-year-old boy was fatally crushed by a truck. The incident happened in June, but charges were not filed until December while an investigation was underway. The boy’s mother, Ashley Czerepak, and the man driving a truck, Jonathan Riches, were both charged in connection with the incident, according to Western Mass News. The accident happened in Enfiled in June while Riches was using the weight of his truck  - driving back and forth - to pack down a pad of crushed stone. The mother was in the passenger’s seat and the boy was in the truck bed, but fel…
Springfield Approaches Homicide Milestone - 18th Victim ID'd Springfield Approaches Homicide Milestone - 18th Victim ID'd
Springfield Approaches Homicide Milestone - 18th Victim ID'd In a year in which Springfield may see a record number of homicides, police have identified the city's most recent victim of fatal violence. In the past five years, 2019 was the one with the most homicides committed in Springfield - there were 20 that year. 2020 may set a tragic new record with the number of homicides reported. So far, 18 homicides have been reported in Springfield and there's still a month to go in the year. Violence has been on the rise in major U.S. cities for all of 2020, according to a study by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice. In large America…