Tag:

Hampshire County, MA

Woman Who Said She Had Bomb During Western Mass Bank Robbery Denied Bail: DA Woman Who Said She Had Bomb During Western Mass Bank Robbery Denied Bail: DA
Woman Who Said She Had Bomb During Western Mass Bank Robbery Denied Bail: DA A woman accused of robbing a Hampshire County bank by threatening to detonate a bomb was ordered held without bail on Monday, Dec. 16, authorities said.  Rosa Murillo, 26, pleaded not guilty in Eastern Hampshire District Court to charges of armed robbery and making a bomb threat, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Prosecutors allege Murillo entered the Westfield Bank on Willimansett Street on Wednesday, Dec. 11, and demanded $5,000, warning the teller that a bomb would go off if her demands were not met. The alarming incident prompted a multi-department investigat…
Western Mass Snowmobiler Killed After Crashing Into Tree Western Mass Snowmobiler Killed After Crashing Into Tree
Western Mass Snowmobiler Killed After Crashing Into Tree A 37-year-old Massachusetts man was killed after crashing his snowmobile into a tree over the weekend in Hampshire County, authorities said.  Derek Graves, of Chesterfield, was riding a snowmobile around 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, when he crashed into the tree, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  A friend riding behind him pulled up to find the wreckage near Smith Road and called for help.  Responders performed CPR as they rushed him to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he later died, the DA's office said.  Massachusetts State Poli…
Western Mass. Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal Collision With Cement Truck Western Mass. Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal Collision With Cement Truck
Western Mass. Woman ID'd As Victim In Fatal Collision With Cement Truck Authorities have identified a 74-year-old Massachusetts woman killed in a head-on collision earlier this week in Hampshire County, authorities said.  Cynthia Jensen, of Becket in Berkshire County, was killed just after 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 18, in the town of Huntington, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Jensen, who was in a compact car, collided with a cement truck driven by a 59-year-old Huntington Man on Pond Brook Road near Old Town Road.  Paramedics rushed Jensen to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton and later to Baystate Medi…
Western Mass. Man ID'd As Victim In Motorcycle Crash Western Mass. Man ID'd As Victim In Motorcycle Crash
Western Mass. Man ID'd As Victim In Motorcycle Crash A 70-year-old man was killed over the weekend after crashing with a truck in Hampshire County, authorities said. James Lis, of Three Rivers, died on Saturday, Aug. 24, in a crash in Hadley, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said on Monday.  Lis was driving his motorcycle north on East Street when he crashed with a truck driving south that was turning into a driveway around noon.  Paramedics took him to Baystate Medical Center, where he later died.  Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash. 
Body Pulled From Western Mass Pond ID'd As Missing 22-Year-Old Body Pulled From Western Mass Pond ID'd As Missing 22-Year-Old
Body Pulled From Western Mass Pond ID'd As Missing 22-Year-Old Police believe the body pulled from a Hampshire County lake belongs to a 22-year-old man who has been missing   several days, authorities said.  Rodney Yankson, of Easthampton, was reported missing on Tuesday, Aug. 13, and was found on Friday afternoon at Lower Mill Pond in Easthampton, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  A father and his son who were going fishing found the body.  The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the man's ID and the cause of death.  Yankson's family created a GoFundMe to help pay for his …
Teen Hit, Killed By Tractor-Trailer Walking Along I-91 In Western Mass Teen Hit, Killed By Tractor-Trailer Walking Along I-91 In Western Mass
Teen Hit, Killed By Tractor-Trailer Walking Along I-91 In Western Mass Police are investigating after a tractor-trailer hit and killed a 19-year-old man on Monday, July 29, in Hampshire County.  The teenager was walking on I-91 in Northampton near the southbound on-ramp of Damon Road/Bridge Street rotary just before 10 p.m. when he was struck, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  The man died at the scene. His name was not released as authorities notified his family.  The 56-year-old Canadian truck driver remained at the scene of the crash.  No charges have been filed, but state police are investigating the circumstance…
Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days
Weekend Wreck In Western Mass County Third Fatal In 3 Days A 51-year-old man was killed in the third fatal wreck in the Western Massachusetts county in as many days, authorities said.  In Hampshire County, the Belchertown man was the only person in the vehicle when it crashed on Sunday, July 21, around 7:45 p.m. on Washington Street in Belchertown, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. Police are investigating what led to the wreck.  The man's name has not been released as authorities notify his family.  The crash was the third in Hampshire County over 72 hours.  Jose M. Soto, a 62-year-old Springf…
Teen, 62-Year-Old Killed In Separate Crashes An Hour Apart In Western Mass Teen, 62-Year-Old Killed In Separate Crashes An Hour Apart In Western Mass
Teen, 62-Year-Old Killed In Separate Crashes An Hour Apart In Western Mass A 17-year-old boy and a 62-year-old man were killed in separate crashes Thursday night, July 18, in Hampshire County, authorities said.  The teenager was killed around 10 p.m. in a single-vehicle crash on Southampton Road in Westhampton, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  The teen was pronounced dead at the scene, and police are investigating the circumstances leading up to the crash.  Officials did not release the teen's name. They were the only person in the vehicle.  An hour earlier, a 62-year-old Springfield man was involved in a two-car crash at the interse…
Western Mass Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd Western Mass Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd
Western Mass Man Killed In Ware Crash ID'd Authorities have identified the 21-year-old who died in a Hampshire County crash earlier this week as a 21-year-old Ware man.  Joseph J. Lynch, of Monson, died on Sunday, June 23, after being involved in a crash on Route 9 near Anderson Road just before 6 p.m., the Northwestern District Attorney said. Another person in the vehicle was airlifted to UMass-Worcester with life-threatening injuries. Two people in the other car, both from Ware, were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with non-life-threatening injuries.   Ware police are investigating the cause of the …
21-Year-Old Killed In Western Mass Crash; 3 Others Hospitalized 21-Year-Old Killed In Western Mass Crash; 3 Others Hospitalized
21-Year-Old Killed In Western Mass Crash; 3 Others Hospitalized A 21-year-old man was killed over the weekend in a two-car crash in Hampshire County, authorities said.  The Monson man was involved in the crash on Route 9 near Anderson Road in Ware just before 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 23, the Northwestern District Attorney said. He died at the scene.  Authorities have not released his name. A second person in the car, a 20-year-old from Warren, was airlifted to UMass Medical Center in Worcester with life-threatening injuries. Two people in the other car were taken to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield with non-life-threatening injuries. …
No Bail For Man Accused Of Killing Ryan Babcock In Western Mass No Bail For Man Accused Of Killing Ryan Babcock In Western Mass
No Bail For Man Accused Of Killing Ryan Babcock In Western Mass A 38-year-old Berkshire County man has been arrested and charged with the fatal shooting of Ryan Babcock on Tuesday, June 11, in Pittsfield, authorities said.  Jeremy Stanton, of Pittsfield, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with murder, the Berkshire County District Attorney's Office said. Stanton pleaded not guilty, and a judge ordered him held without bail.  Related: ''My Heart Is Broken': Ryan Babcock ID'd As Victim In Pittsfield Fatal Shooting Police arrested Stanton at a home in Worthington in Hampshire County on an outstanding probation violation warrant and assault wi…
Algae Bloom Threatens Wildlife, Pets In Easthampton Pond Algae Bloom Threatens Wildlife, Pets In Easthampton Pond
Algae Bloom Threatens Wildlife, Pets In Easthampton Pond Officials in Hampshire County are telling residents to avoid the Rubber Thread Pond in Easthampton after a toxic algae bloom has taken over the water.  Easthampton leaders posted the warning on the city's Facebook page after tests showed possible signs of the toxic algae cyanobacteria.  The Massachusetts Department of Public Health will continue to conduct tests until the bloom has gone. Until then, residents should avoid swimming, fishing, or touching the water.  Contact with the infected water can cause skin irritation, gastrointestinal distress, liver or ne…
Ex-Western Mass Firefighter Who Secretly Filmed Nude Female Coworkers Gets Prison Time Ex-Western Mass Firefighter Who Secretly Filmed Nude Female Coworkers Gets Prison Time
Ex-Western Mass Firefighter Who Secretly Filmed Nude Female Coworkers Gets Prison Time A former Hampshire County firefighter who admitted to hiding cameras in the women's locker room at the fire station where he worked to capture his female colleagues undressing was sentenced to eight months in prison, authorities announced. Nicholas Tillman, 39, of Westfield, pleaded guilty on April 24 to three counts of videotaping intimate parts of a person without consent, three counts of videotaping an unsuspecting nude person, and one count of attempted illegal wiretap, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. He must also register as a sex offender and will serve…
(Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police (Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police
(Update) Man Dragged From Car By Bear After Fatal Western Mass Crash ID'd By Police A driver whose body was dragged away from a Hampshire County crash by a bear on Sunday, May 5, has been identified by police as a 31-year-old Western Massachusetts man, police said. Update: Friends Remember Man Dragged From Wrecked Car By Bear As "Unique Soul" Daniel Ducharme, of South Hadley, was ejected partially or fully from his Honda Civic just after 11 a.m. when he lost control of the vehicle, hit the guardrail multiple times, and crashed down an embankment on I-91 South, state police said.  Police found Ducharme's body next to the tree line near mile marker 30.8 in Hatfield. In…
Western Mass Man Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter: DA Western Mass Man Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter: DA
Western Mass Man Admits To Drunken Crash That Killed Partner, Mom Of His Daughter: DA A 30-year-old Hampshire County man has admitted to causing the 2023 rollover crash that killed his longtime partner and mother of his daughter, authorities announced on Monday, April 22.  Cory Menard, of Granby, pleaded guilty to vehicle homicide while operating negligently and under the influence of alcohol; and reckless assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  A judge sentenced him to two and a half years in prison with two years of probation once he's released, the prosecutor said. Earlier Report: Granby Man Charged In D…
Stray Bullet Hits Home In Western Mass Neighborhood — Again Stray Bullet Hits Home In Western Mass Neighborhood — Again
Stray Bullet Hits Home In Western Mass Neighborhood — Again Neighbors in a Hampshire County community were once again rattled after a stray bullet struck a home for the second time in a year, police said.  The latest shooting happened on Mountain View Drive in Belchertown on Friday afternoon, March 29, when a bullet shattered a sliding glass door, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  No one was at home at the time of the shooting and there were no injuries reported. The family returned home that evening to find the broken glass.  Police found the bullet and sent it to the State Police lab for testing and identification.…
Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA
Man Gets 8 Years In Prison For Botched Kidnapping, Shooting In Western Mass: DA A Connecticut man who tried to kidnap a Western Massachusetts man at gunpoint on New Year's Eve 2022, but shot him instead when the man fought back, will serve eight years behind bars, authorities said.  New Haven County Marc A. Veturis, 29, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty on Thursday, March 28, to multiple felonies linked to the shooting, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  The charges come from a Hampshire County incident on Mill Valley Road in Hadley.  The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported at the time that the victim, a 59-year-old Hadley business owner, h…
Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds
Yogurt Shop In Western Mass Took Workers' Tips, Fired Employee After They Spoke Out: Feds The owners of multiple frozen yogurt shops in Hampshire and Hampden counties must pay nearly $25,000 in back pay and damages after firing an employee who complained about missing tips, authorities said.  A former employee of the Tutti Frutti yogurt shop in the Holyoke Mall said the owners, TF Holyoke LLC, fired them after they complained about withheld tips to the US Department of Labor.  TF Holyoke admitted to taking some of their employees' tips to pay business expenses, the labor department said. It's illegal for owners and managers to take part in tip pools.&nbs…
Officer Hurt After Drunk Driver Slams Into Back Of Western Mass Patrol Car: Police Officer Hurt After Drunk Driver Slams Into Back Of Western Mass Patrol Car: Police
Officer Hurt After Drunk Driver Slams Into Back Of Western Mass Patrol Car: Police A 42-year-old Hampshire County man who crashed into a police officer's SUV on Wednesday night, March 6, was intoxicated when he wrecked, authorities announced.  The Southampton man, whose name was not released, slammed into the back of a Northampton patrol car around 9:30 p.m. along Mount Tom Road near Island Road, police said.  The officer had been called to the area after a tree fell and knocked down power lines. They were sitting in the "fully illuminated" cruiser awaiting backup to direct traffic when the car slammed into the rear of the vehicle, Northampton police said i…
$100K Lottery Tickets Sold In Western, Central Mass $100K Lottery Tickets Sold In Western, Central Mass
$100K Lottery Tickets Sold In Western, Central Mass Two $100,000 winning lottery tickets were turned in on Monday, March 4, from Worcester and Hampshire counties.  The first was from Belchertown, where the six-figure payday was bought at Town Mart at 10 Federal St. The winning ticket was from the $30 "Millions" scratch-off game.  The second was purchased at Saveway Convenience in Rutland at 249 Main St. The winning ticket was a "$300X" $30 scratch-off ticket.  The stores where the tickets were bought will receive a bonus.  The Massachusetts State Lottery did not release their names. The lottery paid out $600 or more to …
Ex-Western Mass Elementary Paraeducator Busted On Child Sex Abuse Charges Ex-Western Mass Elementary Paraeducator Busted On Child Sex Abuse Charges
Ex-Western Mass Elementary Paraeducator Busted On Child Sex Abuse Charges A former Hampshire County paraeducator has pleaded not guilty to charges that sexually assaulted a student multiple times from 2022 through 2023, authorities said.  Troy Gray, age 57, of Easthampton, was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 22, and charged with five counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and one count of intimidation of a witness, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Gray was released on his own recognizance. But he must have no contact with anyone under 16, must stay away from Mountainview School in Easthampton, avoid any contact…
Western Mass Man Admits To Raping Child; Gets 6 To 7 Years In Prison: DA Western Mass Man Admits To Raping Child; Gets 6 To 7 Years In Prison: DA
Western Mass Man Admits To Raping Child; Gets 6 To 7 Years In Prison: DA A 44-year-old Hampshire County man admitted to repeatedly sexually assaulting a child, authorities said, and now he knows how long he'll spend in prison. Kemal Banatte, of Amherst, was sentenced to six to seven behind bars after he pleaded guilty to one count of statutory rape of a child, one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, three counts of indecent assault and battery on a child over 14, and one count of witness intimidation, the Northwestern District Attorney said.  Banatte admitted to raping a child he knew multiple times from 2015 until 2019…
Western Mass Woman Who Neglected Animals Until 3 Died Avoids Jail Time: DA Western Mass Woman Who Neglected Animals Until 3 Died Avoids Jail Time: DA
Western Mass Woman Who Neglected Animals Until 3 Died Avoids Jail Time: DA A Hampshire County woman who neglected multiple farm animals so badly that three needed to be euthanized has been sentenced to five years probation and can never work with or keep livestock again, authorities said. A year before the animals were taken from her, she'd asked for help.  Shannon Rice-Nichols ran a farm with 35 animals, and in March 2022, authorities were called in to investigate it after several people said her animals were emaciated and sickly, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Massachusetts Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found the a…
33-Year-Old Killed Walking Along Route 116 In Western Mass 33-Year-Old Killed Walking Along Route 116 In Western Mass
33-Year-Old Killed Walking Along Route 116 In Western Mass A 33-year-old Sunderland man was killed on Saturday morning, Jan. 6, while walking a road in Hampshire County, authorities said.  The man, whose name was not released, was walking on the side of Route 116 in Hadley when he was struck by a 29-year-old Deerfield woman, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. No charges have been filed, and the woman's name was not released.  She remained at the scene and called 911.  Bystanders gave the man medical aid until paramedics arrived. They rushed him to Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, where he later died.&nbs…
Beware 'The Sudbury Devil' In New Film Set In Colonial Massachusetts Beware 'The Sudbury Devil' In New Film Set In Colonial Massachusetts
Beware 'The Sudbury Devil' In New Film Set In Colonial Massachusetts A pair of Puritan witch hunters travel to a small Massachusetts town and find themselves outmatched as they face ungodly forces waiting for them.  That's the premise of the new historical horror film "The Sudbury Devil" by Massachusetts native filmmaker Andrew Rakich that was released this week. The movie is set and was filmed in Massachusetts, and while it's fiction, the movie is steeped in real history.  In the late 17th century, a pair of Puritan witch hunters travel to a small Massachusetts town to investigate rumors of devil worship and are irrevocably transfor…
Man Who Tried To Kidnap Baby During Western Mass Burglary Spree Gets 8-10 Years In Prison: DA Man Who Tried To Kidnap Baby During Western Mass Burglary Spree Gets 8-10 Years In Prison: DA
Man Who Tried To Kidnap Baby During Western Mass Burglary Spree Gets 8-10 Years In Prison: DA A homeless man who broke into a Hampshire County family's home in the middle of the night in 2021 and tried to steal their 20-month-old infant along with their valuables will spend up to a decade behind bars, authorities announced on Monday, Dec. 18.  Jimmy Sanchez, 39, of Amherst, pleaded guilty on Monday to several felonies and was sentenced to 8-10 years in prison, the Northwestern District Attorney said. He had previously been held without bail after a judge ruled him too dangerous to be released.  A family at a home on Spring Street in Amherst heard a noise around 2 a.m. on M…
21-Year-Old Man Killed In Western Mass Crash After Car Goes Airborne 21-Year-Old Man Killed In Western Mass Crash After Car Goes Airborne
21-Year-Old Man Killed In Western Mass Crash After Car Goes Airborne A 21-year-old Hampshire County man was killed Tuesday morning, Dec. 12, after he blew through a four-way stop in Easthampton, authorities said.  The Southampton man was driving east on Pomeroy Meadow Road when he crashed near the intersection with Loudville Road and Glendale Street just after 6:30 a.m., Easthampton police said.  Police have not released the man's name as they notify his family.  Investigators said he crashed into a guardrail after he went through the four-way stop and briefly went airborne before slamming down into a field near a wooded area. Authoritie…
Donald Trump's Sister Dies At 86 In New York Donald Trump's Sister Dies At 86 In New York
Donald Trump's Sister Dies At 86 In New York The elder sister of former President Donald J. Trump has died while in hospice care in New York, a source with direct knowledge told Daily Voice early Monday morning, Nov. 13. Maryanne Trump Barry, a Queens native and retired federal judge, died over the weekend from cancer while in hospice care in New York City, the source said. She was 86. Barry became an Assistant US Attorney in 1974 and was appointed to the US District Court for the District of New Jersey by the late President Ronald Reagan in 1983. She was appointed to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia…
'Zoom Bombing' Disrupts Western Mass City Council Meeting; Leaders Look To Block Trolls: Report 'Zoom Bombing' Disrupts Western Mass City Council Meeting; Leaders Look To Block Trolls: Report
'Zoom Bombing' Disrupts Western Mass City Council Meeting; Leaders Look To Block Trolls: Report A standard city council meeting last week in Hampshire County was upended by "Zoom bombing" trolls and antisemites who spewed hateful and offensive comments. Northampton city councilors have spent the last week looking for solutions to fight back for their meeting on Thursday, Nov. 9, reports said.  The Daily Hampshire Gazette reported that the Nov. 2 Northampton City Council meeting was set to discuss typical city governance issues, but things took a dark turn when leaders opened the floor for public comments.  Several people signed up to speak to the board via Zoom. Th…
20-Year-Old Chinese Restaurant In Western Mass Closes Its Doors 20-Year-Old Chinese Restaurant In Western Mass Closes Its Doors
20-Year-Old Chinese Restaurant In Western Mass Closes Its Doors A 20-year-old family-run Chinese restaurant in Hampshire County announced that it has shuttered its doors.  Related: Springfield Foodies Fight Over Best Chinese Food In City China Wok Express in Northampton, which boasts several glowing reviews on Google and Yelp!, announced that it had closed on Oct. 30 on Facebook.  Dear Friends,We are announcing the closing of China Wok Express. The last day of business will be Monday, October 30th, 2023. We want to thank all of you for supporting us over the past two decades. Some of you may have just found us, while others have been din…
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA
Dad Who Poisoned Daughter, 7, In Western Mass Will Not Get New Trial: DA A Massachusetts appeals court has upheld the 2020 conviction of a Hampshire County father who was found guilty of injecting his 7-year-old daughter with liquid drain cleaner, authorities said. She survived the assassination attempt. Christopher Conley, of Northampton, who is serving a 16 to 18-year prison sentence, filed a petition for a new trial saying that the judge erred in allowing the jury to hear evidence that he'd previously attempted to poison the girl, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. He was arrested in April 2015 after his daughter was admitted to Yale New&n…