POLICE & COURTS
0 Comments | Buffalo News, Aug 23, 2008
Suspect sought in W. Side shooting
Buffalo police Friday night were searching for a suspect in a shooting that took place on Grant Street and Auburn Avenue on the West Side.
The victim was shot in the chest about 8:30 p.m. and taken by ambulance to Erie County Medical Center, where he underwent surgery late Friday. Police did not release his identity.
Police were looking for a man in red shorts, a dark T-shirt and dark cap with a ponytail.
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Fire in vacant house spreads to nearby homes
Buffalo firefighters early Friday were reminded of the hazards of fires in vacant houses when a 15th Street fire spread to the two adjacent occupied homes, evicting nine residents who were helped by the Red Cross.
Firefighters responded to a 2:53 a.m. alarm at the vacant house at 226 15th, where fire officials listed $20,000 in damage. Flames spread to both 224 and 228 15th, forcing out five children and four adults and leaving $15,000 damage to each home.
A second alarm was sounded at 3:02 a.m.
The cause of the suspicious fire remains under investigation, fire officials said.
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Missing girl’s parents in confrontation in park
NIAGARA FALLS — No charges were expected to be filed after a confrontation Friday in Whirlpool State Park between the parents of a missing 12-year-old girl, Magdalena Lubowska of the Bronx, and the operators of the unlicensed vacation center she had been attending at the time of her apparent drowning Aug. 13.
State Parks Police were called about 12:30 p.m. after the girl’s parents found themselves in the park at the same time as the operators, Eva and Timothy Hedges of Niagara Falls, and their attorney. The girl fell into the Lower Niagara River rapids in that park.
The Hedges’ attorney, E. Earl Key, said they took him to the gorge so Key could see the scene of the incident. He said his legal assistant, Brian Braun, would not press charges after giving police a statement against the girl’s father, Miriusz Lubowski.
“My clients went to have a private moment with their daughter, in spirit or otherwise,” said the attorney for Magdalena’s parents, Gus Michael Farinella. He said the Hedges’ presence “ruined my clients’ opportunity to visit the scene for the first time.”
Key said he was willing to contact Farinella before any further visits, to make sure the families are not in the park simultaneously again. “All I want is for them to stay away from the [Hedges'] house,” Key said.
Meanwhile, Parks Police said their search for the girl’s body continued Friday without success.
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Man, woman arrested in attack on couple
Buffalo police Friday arrested a man and woman for allegedly attacking a South Buffalo couple.
Arrested were James Aviles, 20, of Sidway Street, and Lucy M. Rodriguez, 20, of Hartwell Road.
Police said that while the pair was visiting the couple’s South Park address, Aviles threatened the male resident with a gun and threatened to hit him in the head with a bottle. Rodriguez is accused of striking the female resident with an aluminum bat on the back of her head and punching her in the eye. Neither victim sought immediate medical attention, according to police.
Aviles was charged with third-degree menacing, while Rodriguez faces a third-degree assault charge.
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Loud car stereo leads to drug charges for driver
A West Side Buffalo man stopped by police for playing his car stereo too loud Thursday ended up being charged with marijuana possession, as well.
Duane M. Stokes, 37, of Massachusetts Avenue, was charged with fifth-degree marijuana possession and violating the city’s excessive- noise ordinance.
Police said Stokes was stopped on McKinley Parkway when they noticed a strong odor of marijuana coming from his vehicle and a large marijuana cigarette, called a blunt, burning in the ashtray.
Stokes also was cited for having an expired inspection sticker.
A day earlier, a Wakefield Avenue man also was arrested for marijuana possession following a traffic stop.
Martinez Pitts, 32, was stopped by police at South Division and Spring streets for allegedly speeding. In the course of their investigation, police said they saw in plain view a large, clear plastic bag containing more than 25 grams of marijuana in the back seat of the vehicle Pitts was driving
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