Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Motorcyclist In Western Mass Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Motorcyclist In Western Mass
Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Motorcyclist In Western Mass A Berkshire County woman told a court on Tuesday, Aug. 22, that she was not at fault in the death of a 66-year-old Colrain motorcyclist she had a wreck with earlier this year, authorities said.  Melissa C. Repka, 38, is charged with vehicle homicide by negligent operation and failure to yield the right of way in connection with the crash that killed Greg Herzig, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. A judge ordered Repka not to drive a vehicle for the duration of the trial.  Police said Repka had pulled her rented Jeep Grand Cherokee to the side of Route 2 in…
Woman Accused Of Stabbing Boyfriend To Death In Western Mass Charged With Murder Woman Accused Of Stabbing Boyfriend To Death In Western Mass Charged With Murder
Woman Accused Of Stabbing Boyfriend To Death In Western Mass Charged With Murder A 23-year-old Hampshire County woman who police say stabbed her boyfriend five times during a fight at their home will return to court next week.  Jean Marie Echevarria, of Easthampton, who is charged with murder in the killing of Brennan Bleau, 23, was indicted on July 20, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. She will be arraigned on Wednesday, Aug. 9. She previously pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.  Investigators said Echevarria stabbed Bleau multiple times on March 14 at the Culdaff Street apartment they shared in Easthampton. When poli…
Fatal Crash: Man Admits To Western Mass Wreck That Killed 1, Injured Another Fatal Crash: Man Admits To Western Mass Wreck That Killed 1, Injured Another
Fatal Crash: Man Admits To Western Mass Wreck That Killed 1, Injured Another A 59-year-old man admitted fault on Thursday, July 27, to a fatal Hampden County crash in 2021 that killed a motorcyclist and seriously injured his passenger, authorities said. Aleksandyr Saykin, of East Longmeadow in Hampshire County, pleaded guilty to a charge of negligent operation of a motor vehicle, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  Niles N. Robbins, 46, of Wales, died on May 15, 2021, when Saykin crashed into his Harley Davidson motorcycle on Route 9 in Belchertown near the intersection of Ware and Enoch Sanford roads, the prosecutor said. Robbins …
Officials Tentatively ID Man Killed In Western Mass Fire Officials Tentatively ID Man Killed In Western Mass Fire
Officials Tentatively ID Man Killed In Western Mass Fire Authorities in Hampshire County on Thursday, July 13, released the name of the man believed to have died in a housefire in Belchertown earlier this week.  Wesley Korenewsky, 68, who lived at 42 Daniel Square, is believed to be the person that firefighters found after they put out a two-alarm blaze at that address, a spokesperson for the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will make the official identification.  Belchertown firefighters were called to the Daniel Square home just after 1:30 p.m. Monday. They found fire and smok…
Fiancé Charged With DUI Crash That Killed Western Mass Mom Fiancé Charged With DUI Crash That Killed Western Mass Mom
Fiancé Charged With DUI Crash That Killed Western Mass Mom A 30-year-old Hampshire County man is accused of killing his fiancée when he lost control of his SUV and crashed while driving drunk earlier this month, authorities announced on Wednesday, July 12.  Cory Menard, of Granby, is charged with motor vehicle homicide while under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation, manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol, manslaughter, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. Katelyn Gress, age 28, of Granby, died on July 1 after Menard lost control of his Jeep Grand Cherokee, which ca…
Rape Case: Western Mass Physical Therapist Pleads Not Guilty To Patient's Claims Rape Case: Western Mass Physical Therapist Pleads Not Guilty To Patient's Claims
Rape Case: Western Mass Physical Therapist Pleads Not Guilty To Patient's Claims A former physical therapist in Western Massachusetts accused of raping a former patient in 2012 pleaded not guilty Monday, July 10, to two charges, authorities announced.  Edward Kostek, 42, of South Hadley in Hampshire County, was convicted of three counts of indecent assault and battery in September after a woman said he'd groped her during three physical therapy sessions at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton in 2019, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. A judge sentenced him to probation.  Two women came forward following his conviction to accuse hi…
Granby Woman, 28, Killed, 2 Injured In Rollover Crash In Western Mass Granby Woman, 28, Killed, 2 Injured In Rollover Crash In Western Mass
Granby Woman, 28, Killed, 2 Injured In Rollover Crash In Western Mass A 28-year-old Granby woman was killed Saturday morning, July 1, when the SUV she was in lost control, rolled over, and crashed into oncoming traffic, authorities said. The wreck happened around 1:15 a.m. near the intersection of Pleasant and Barton streets in Granby. Police have not released the woman's name as they are still notifying her next of kin.  The woman was a passenger in a northbound Jeep Grand Cherokee on Pleasant that crossed the center line, skidded, and rolled over before it crashed into a Lexus SUV headed in the opposite direction, Granby police said. It's unclear what …
Drug Ring Bust Leads To 20 Convictions In Western Mass Drug Ring Bust Leads To 20 Convictions In Western Mass
Drug Ring Bust Leads To 20 Convictions In Western Mass Authorities in Western Massachusetts are celebrating as two men, busted as part of a drug ring in 2021, pled guilty on Thursday, June 8. That makes 20 felony convictions since investigators began dismantling the operation in 2021, officials said.  Jason Nadeau, 42, of Ludlow, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of trafficking cocaine and one of conspiracy, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said.  David Gallegos, 30, of Deerfield, will serve a year of probation after a judge continued without a finding a charge of conspiracy, the prosecutor said. …
Manslaughter: Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend's Ex Pleads Not Guilty Manslaughter: Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend's Ex Pleads Not Guilty
Manslaughter: Man Accused Of Killing Girlfriend's Ex Pleads Not Guilty A 23-year-old Southampton man pleaded not guilty to the December 2022 killing of his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend on Friday, June 2, authorities said. Brian Camp faces a manslaughter charge in the fatal shooting of Johnathan Letendre, 27, of Northampton, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. The prosecutor said Camp was asleep with his girlfriend and her two young children on Dec. 27 when Letendre, who had previously dated the woman, walked into the Chesterfield home through an unlocked door. Camp woke up when he heard Letendre climbing the steps, and a fight broke out between the…
Beloved Western Mass Educator Dies Days After Car Crash; Parents Seriously Wounded Beloved Western Mass Educator Dies Days After Car Crash; Parents Seriously Wounded
Beloved Western Mass Educator Dies Days After Car Crash; Parents Seriously Wounded Donna Woodcock, a former Greenfield teacher, principal, and coach, died this week after being critically wounded in a car crash on Friday, May 5. Her parents, who were in the car with her, are still recovering from their injuries at Baystate Medical Center.  Woodcock crashed on Mohawk Trail in Shelburne near Dragon Hill Road around 6 p.m. Paramedics rushed her and her parents (Courtney Woodcock, 92, and Barbara Woodcock, 87) to Baystate Medical Center, where she later died, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said on Thursday. She turned 65 on the day of the crash.  Woodco…
Fatal Crash: 1 Dead, Another Seriously Hurt After Car Slams Into Tree In Western Mass Fatal Crash: 1 Dead, Another Seriously Hurt After Car Slams Into Tree In Western Mass
Fatal Crash: 1 Dead, Another Seriously Hurt After Car Slams Into Tree In Western Mass A 21-year-old man was killed Thursday morning, April 27, in Hampshire County when the car he was riding in crashed into a tree, authorities said. The 19-year-old driver was seriously injured in the wreck.  Officials said the car crossed the center line and slammed into the tree at 20 River Lodge Road in South Hadley just before 8 a.m., the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said. It's unclear what caused the car to veer off the road.  A Good Samaritan pulled the driver out of the wreckage, but South Hadley firefighters had to cut the 21-year-old passenger out of the car,…
Man With Trove Of Hazardous Chemicals Pleads Not Guilty To Firearms Charges In Western Mass: DA Man With Trove Of Hazardous Chemicals Pleads Not Guilty To Firearms Charges In Western Mass: DA
Man With Trove Of Hazardous Chemicals Pleads Not Guilty To Firearms Charges In Western Mass: DA Authorities found a stockpile of hazardous and potentially dangerous chemicals at a man's apartment in South Hadley. Though, that's not what landed him in hot water with the police. Officials said they found an unsecured handgun and an illegal magazine inside his home as well.  Paul C. Traficante, 33, pleaded not guilty to charges of improper storage of a firearm and possession of a large-capacity feeding device, the Northwestern District Attorney's Office said on Tuesday, April 18. He was out on a $250 bail, the prosecutor said.  South Hadley police, firefighters, and s…