A Saranac Lake man was taken to the hospital after a snowmobile accident yesterday morning.

State Police in Ray Brook say 35 year-old Christopher M. Schack was on his way to work driving a 1997 Ski-doo on a trail near County Route 55 – the Bloomingdale-Gabriels Road around 7:10 a.m.

He was southbound on corridor 7B, the old D&H railroad, when he hit a dip in the trail and was ejected from the snowmobile.  Schack traveled about 100 feet and came to rest on the side of the trail.

He was hit in the rib cage, complained of pain and had trouble breathing. 

The snowmobile traveled another 160 feet and struck a large tree.  It was destroyed and was removed by Twin D Automotive. 

The Saranac Lake Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene and used an ATV and a rescue sled to transport Schack out of the woods.  He was taken to Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake.

Police said excessive speed was to blame for the accident. But no tickets were issued.

Schack was wearing a helmet and the snowmobile was registered and insured.

TEENAGER JAILED IN POLICE OFFICER ASSAULT CASE

A Tupper Lake teenager involved in the assault of a local police officer had his release revoked last week and was sent to the county jail.

17-year-old Eric Whitley is charged with second-degree assault and second-degree obstructing governmental administration for his role in the assault of Tupper Lake Police Officer Jason Amell on St. Patrick’s Day last year.

Whitley had been released on his own recognizance.  But last week he had his release revoked and was sent to the Franklin County Jail to await further court proceedings.

In other court action a Lake Placid man was sentenced to five years probation after pleading guilty to third degree attempted burglary.

21-year-old Shawn Horton and two others were arrested June of 2005 for breaking into and vandalizing an apartment in Saranac Lake.

In addition to the five year’s probation Horton was ordered to pay restitution and his case was transferred to Essex County where he resides.

And a Malone man was given a year in the Franklin County Jail for violation of felony probation. 22-year-old Nathan Nichols will serve the sentence consecutive to a jail term he’s currently serving from a Malone Village Court conviction.

ESSEX COUNTY ELECTION BOARD WANTS MORE SPACE

The Essex County Board of Elections, needing more room to store new electronic voting machines, is asking for additional space at the county complex in Elizabethtown.

“We’d like to have the whole first floor where we are now,” Republican Election Commissioner Lewis Sanders told the County Public Safety Committee on Monday, according to a report in the Plattsburgh Press-Republican.

The rest of the floor the Board of Elections uses now is shared with the Department of Social Services, meaning a significant realignment of office space if the request is granted.

The Elections Board has its main office, a conference room, supply room and separate offices for the two election commissioners.

“We do have a space problem at the Board of Elections,” Sanders said.  “We need to store the machines, do maintenance on the machines.”

There has to be a secure environment for the new machines the county has to buy, according to Sanders.

Supervisor Joyce Morency of St. Armand agreed the current Board of Elections space is already cramped.  “They’re small offices,” she said.  “But I don’t know how much we can give them.”

Morency suggested a newly formed county Space Committee should review the matter.  The committee is looking at how to use the large amount of space that will be freed up when the Emergency Services and Sheriff’s Department are moved to the new County Jail and Public Safety Building in Lewis later this year.

County Manager Cliff Donaldson Jr. said there are a large number of requests being made for additional space, including the request from the Board of Elections.

SAYWARD URGES CAUTION ON FROZEN LAKES

In light of news that four people fell through the ice on Lake George over the weekend, Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward is reminding snowmobilers and ATV users to stay safe, check the ice and use common-sense precautions before riding on ice.

“Thankfully, the situation in Lake George was not fatal,” Sayward said in a press release.  “The Queensbury Fire Department did a great job in rescuing these people, but riders must take precautions.”

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation reported that last year there were 11 accidents where snowmobiles were submersed due to thin ice.  These accidents resulted in three deaths statewide.

“As these statistics show, riding on ice can be very dangerous."
Sayward said, “I urge riders to take precautions and to check the
thickness of the ice.”

It must be 4 inches thick before walking on it and at least 6 inches thick before riding.  “Dress accordingly for the weather, always tell someone your planned route, and never ever ride alone,” said Sayward.

The Assemblywoman reminded riders that snowmobile safety courses are offered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation, as well as through other agencies, local snowmobile clubs, and
the International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association.  To find a
snowmobile safety course near you, visit www.nysparks.gov

Sayward, a snowmobiler herself, is supporting a measure before the Assembly to reduce certain fees for snowmobilers.  “I will continue to promote snowmobiling by working to cut fees, support trail development, and to encourage safety,” she said.

FORMER NURSE PLEADS GUILTY TO LARCENY OF MEDICATION

A former nurse at CVPH Medical Center in Plattsburgh who was accused of stealing medication and altering hospital records to cover it up has pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

41 year-old Diane Ladieu of Plattsburgh had originally faced a felony charge of first-degree falsifying business records and misdemeanor counts of petit larceny and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance.

She was arrested in September for stealing medications from the hospital and altering records to show the drugs had been wasted or given to patients.

The arrest was the product of an extensive investigation by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the state Attorney General’s Office. 

Ladieu pleaded guilt in Plattsburgh City Court last week to one count of petit larceny.  She was sentenced to three years probation.

Ladieu had been on administrative leave from CVPH after her arrest.  She’s no longer employed by the hospital.

POLICE PROMOTE CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY THIS WEEK

This week is National Child Passenger Safety Week and New York State Police Troop B are reminding motorists that they need to buckle themselves and their children.

“Every year, children in New York die or suffer needlessly in preventable motor vehicle crashes,” said Troop Commander Major Richard Smith.

Although New York State’s traffic record is among the nation’s best, vehicle crashes remain the number one killer of children under the age of 14 in the country.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration approximately 1,700 children die in motor vehicle crashes in the nation each year and 250,000 to 300,000 are injured. And only 10 to 20 percent of children age four to eight, the majority of which should be using booster and safety belts, are in them.

“Many parents are under the false impression that children who have outgrown child safety seats can move right into regular safety belts, but nothing could be further from the truth,” said Major Smith. “We are working hard to remind parents, grandparents, and child care providers to use appropriate child seat of booster seat.”

The New York State Police, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Malone Village Police Department will be conducting occupant enforcement checks and child safety checks throughout the region.

State Police are reminding motorists that state law requires all rear seat passengers under 16 years of age to wear a seat belt, children under four must be properly restrained in a federally approved child safety seat, and all front seat occupants must wear a seatbelt regardless of age.

Troop B along with Adirondack Medical Center and Adirondack Internal Medicine and Pediatrics will be holding a child safety seat fitting station from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at State Police headquarters in Ray Brook.

COURT REJECTS WOMAN’S APPEAL OF RAPE CONVICTION

The Appellate Division of State Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of a local woman convicted of raping a teenage boy.

29-year-old Kerry Sokolowski was arrested in January 2005 with a Tupper Lake address for having sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old male the previous December.

She appeared in Franklin County Court in March of last year and pleaded guilty to third-degree rape, a felony, as part of a plea agreement with Franklin County prosecutors.

The judge advised her that of the potential sentencing options, but did not promise a specific sentence as part of the plea agreement. Sokolowski was subsequently sentenced to 270 days in jail.

In her appeal Sokolowki argued the sentence was harsh and excessive and that she should have been sentenced instead to 10-years probation.

But since she’s already completed her sentence the appeals court ruled last week that her arguments were moot and the appeal was rejected.

POLICE AND FIRE REPORT

Lake Placid Police charged 24 year-old Jason L. Borden of Lake Placid with endangering the welfare of a child and fourth-degree criminal mischief at 11:01 a.m. Monday.  During an argument with family members, Borden allegedly broke into an apartment and caused damage to a door and some personal property while in the presence of a child.  He was arraigned on the charges and released of his own recognizance to appear in court February 27.

Lake Placid Police charged 25 year-old Samantha L. Wells of Lake Placid with unlawful possession of marijuana at 11 p.m. Monday night.  Police responded to a complaint and Wells allegedly admitted to possessing marijuana during the investigation.  She was released of her own recognizance to appear in Lake Placid Village Court at a later date.

Tupper Lake Village Police issued a criminal summons to a 17 year-old female from Tupper Lake at 11:10 a.m. Monday.  She was charged with second-degree harassment and ordered to appear in village court February 26.

Tupper Lake Village Police served an arrest warrant to 18 year-old Tiffany Lanthier of Tupper Lake at 11:48 a.m. yesterday.  She was charged with second-degree aggravated harassment for allegedly making unwanted phone calls.  Lanthier was arraigned and released of her own recognizance to return to Tupper Lake Village Court March 5.