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Man Shot in Bennington Police Department Lobby

Staff Reports

Bennington, Vt. — Police shot a knife-wielding man in their lobby Tuesday night.

State Police say Gregory Filo, 42, of Bennington was shot in the Police Station lobby after threatening a police officer with a knife. Filo is in stable condition at Albany, N.Y. Medical Center following the incident.

According to State Police, Filo entered the Bennington Police Department lobby at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night with a friend. Filo made stabbing motions with a knife at the friend and dispatchers thought he was telling them his friend was stabbed.

When officers entered the lobby, Filo allegedly then began threatening police. Bennington officers told Filo to drop the knife but instead, he "advanced on the police officers," according to State Police.

One officer shot Filo and then police called for rescue. Bennington officers say Filo's friend had not been injured in any way.

Filo was taken to Albany Medical Center and state Police were called in for the investigation. State Police are working with the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office and charges against Filo may be pending.

The officer who shot Filo is on paid leave but his name was not released. State Police say the investigation is ongoing and more information will be available at a later time.

     

Superior Court Briefs: April 14 - April 16

Staff Reports

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Monday, April 14.

Jordan Moon, 26, of North Adams had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute, conspiracy to violate drug laws and possession of cocaine.

He was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from a motor vehicle stop in North Adams on February 26, 2014.

Kristina St. Jean, 35, of Becket had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf on five counts of reckless endangerment of a child.

She was released on personal recognizance. The incidents allegedly occurred in Pittsfield between March 1, 2012 and July 16, 2013. The alleged victims are girls ages 4,5,8,13 and 15.

David Marshall, 48, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of distribution of Lorazepam, drug violation in a school zone, conspiracy to violate drug laws, possession of oxycodone and being present where heroin is kept.

He was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at 35 Appleton Avenue in Pittsfield on February 27, 2014.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Wednesday, April 16.

Raymond Yetz, 60, of Pittsfied had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of failing to register as a sex offender - his second offense.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $5,000 bail. Yetz is accused of failing to register in Pittsfield between October 18, 2013 and December 24, 2013.

     

Former Ambulance Manager Ordered to Repay $240K

Staff Reports

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The former general manager of Village Ambulance pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing $240,000 from the service over a five-year period.

Albert Miller, 59, pleaded guilty to a single count of larceny, an ongoing and continuing offense.

He and his wife, Cara Miller, 58, who was the service's office manager at the time, were accused of overpaying their salaries and using the service's credit card.

The couple first entered not-guilty pleas to the charges in February.

On Wednesday, Albert Miller changed his plea to guilty and was placed on three year's probation and ordered to pay the $240,000 back in restitution by Judge Daniel Ford.

Cara Miller's case is still pending.

The Millers were fired after an audit uncovered irregularities in the service's books in 2011.  The investigation was conducted by state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office.

     

Superior Court Briefs: April 8 - April 10

Staff Reports

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Tuesday, April 8.

Dylan Greiter, 24, Stephentown, N.Y. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of receiving stolen property over $250, two counts of wanton destruction of property and a single count of being present where heroin is kept.

He was released on personal recognizance. Greiter allegedly sold copper that belonged to Iberdrola Renewables between October 26, 2013 and November 12, 2013.

Cases heard before Judge Daniel Ford on Thursday, April 10.

Christopher Blair, 34, of Hillsdale, N.Y. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of unarmed robbery and larceny over $250.

He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $250,000 bail. Blair is accused of robbing the Stockbridge branch of Lee Bank on March 10, 2014.

     

North Adams Apartment Fire Displaces 20 People

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Amanda Beckwith is reunited with one of her cats. Beckwith lives in the apartment below where the fire broke out. More photos can be seen here.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — About 20 people were temporarily homeless after a fire broke out early Thursday afternoon on the fourth floor of a Furnace Street apartment building.

Damage was limited to one side the eight-unit building at 132-146 Furnace St.; no was injured.

Fire Chief Stephen Meranti said it was possible the tenants in the four units on the south side of the building could return home by the end of the day, depending on the health inspector's approval.

"It's under investigation right now with the North Adams Police and Fire Departments," he said. The fire marshal's office had not been called so far. "It doesn't appear to be suspicious. We're going to do our thing and then if we need to call them, we will."

The building has a commanding view of the city's downtown and smoke could be seen from Main Street pouring from the top of building.

"Leaving the station, we could see the smoke, we called for all off-duty firefighters," said Meranti. "We got on the scene found fire on the rear porch in the roof area. ... It had extended into the attic space."

At about noon, neighbors noticed smoke and flames on the decking on the eastern side of the building. All of the occupants home at the time escaped unharmed.

"I heard crackling and then I smelled something a minute or two later ...  it was a plasticy kind of burning smell," said Amanda Beckwith, who lives in the apartment directly below where the fire started. "Then I looked out the window and saw fire [in the decking above] ... we ran out."

Beckwith, a photographer, ran back in to grab her camera. By the time she realized the seriousness of the situation, the fire trucks had arrived and she was unable to get back in to rescue her cats. By mid-afternoon, two of her pets had been removed unharmed but a three more were still inside.

Animal Control Officer Carrie Loholdt was on the scene to assist with pet recovery.

Fire trucks maneuvered the steep street to get in front of the structure and a ladder truck was used to reach and break through the roof to combat the blaze.

"We had to make sure we kept the front of the building open so we could move the ladder truck in here," Meranti said, explaining some of the difficulties in accessing the building, which is three stories on Furnace but four stories and a steep lawn facing Francis Street below.

"It's very labor intensive to fight a fire in a building like this. The guys took a real beating on this one," he said. "They did a great job getting here quickly the way they did and getting the water on it.  We prevented it from extending to the other apartments."

The Furnace and Francis streets were closed down as firefighters from the city, Adams and Clarksburg brought it under control it. North Adams Ambulance Service was on scene to provide recovery services for firefighters and Williamstown Fire Department was covering the station.

Neighbors and occupants of the building watched from Francis Street as burning shingles fell to the lawn and water poured down.

"The heat and the fire are trapped in the attic, so it's building, accelerating in the attic," said Meranti. "By opening the hole in the roof, you're directing the fire to where you want it to go.    

"So it's not extending horizontally, it's extending the fire vertically so we can get in there and get it from underneath."
 
Meranti said firefighters were successful in doing that, which prevented the blaze from reaching the apartments on the south side. The fire damage was contained to the top apartment in the northeast corner; the apartments below it suffered smoke and water damage.

The gas and electric were shut off but the owner's electrician was going to see if the power could be restored to separate units.

Nichole Bushey, who lives in the apartment where the fire started with her boyfriend, George Sawtelle, said she lost everything. Both she and Sawtelle were at work when the fire started; a friend and neighbor called to tell them what had happened.

Bushey said she'd lived in the building for about a year, but it was the second time a fire had left her homeless. She'd been living in the apartment building on Washington Avenue when it burned down around 2006.

The building's owner Charles Swabey, who owns multiple properties in the city, was confident the building was salvageable: "It's going to be around for a long time."

He said he loved the architecture of the house, which is notable for the number of wrap-around porches and balconies.  

"I bought it in 2003, it was one of the first ones we bought," he said.

Seven of the eight units were occupied and about 20 people were living in the structure. The Red Cross had been contacted.

Update: complete rewrite with comments from fire chief at 4:30 p.m.

 

     
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