PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city man was arrested Monday night for the alleged murder of James Dominguez III last January.

 

The District Attorney's office said James Cromartie, 31, of Pittsfield was arrested on a murder warrant Monday night. On Tuesday, Cromartie had a not guilty plea entered on his behalf on a single count of murder in Berkshire Superior Court.

 

Judge Paul Vrabel ordered that Cromartie is held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail. He will return to court on Nov. 15.

 

Cromartie is accused of shooting Dominguez in the city-owned parking lot on Fenn Street on January 23, 2016. Police responded to 129 Fenn Street at 1:30 a.m. that morning to find Dominguez laying on the ground after being shot in the head. An autopsy confirmed the death a homicide. 

 

Now more than a year and a half later, Cromartie was taken into custody after a motor vehicle stop on Park Street around 4 p.m., according to police logs. When arrested, Cromartie was also allegedly in possession of cocaine. He is also facing a single count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are seeking a suspect who stole cash from George's Liquor Store on Friday night. 

 

At approximately 8:48 p.m., Pittsfield Police units responded to the Elm Street liquor store for a reported of an armed robbery. According to witness reports and a preliminary review of store surveillance video, responding officers were able to determine that a man had entered the store, produced a handgun and demanded that the two clerks give him money. 

 

The suspect is described as black, standing more than 6-foot tall and weighting pproximately 200 pound. The suspect was dressed in all black clothing, including a baseball cap. His face was not

covered. The suspect was wearing eyeglasses and appeared to have some facial hair. 

 

Store clerks did not recognize the suspect, who fled with an undetermined amount of cash from the store registers.

 

Patrol officers, including a K-9 unit, conducted an area search. The suspect was tracked to the rear of a nearby business, where the track ended.

 

This is an active and ongoing investigation. Anyone who may have been in the area of Elm Street and East Street last night near the time of the robbery is asked to contact the Pittsfield Police Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705. Tips can be left anonymously by telephone, Tip411 or via the Facebook page.

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A 22-year-old woman has died from injuries incurred in a late-night shooting Monday.

The District Attorney's office said Asiyanna Jones died after being shot in the area of 242 Dewey Ave. Monday night, shortly before 11 p.m. Jones was found inside a motor vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. She was transported to Berkshire Medical Center first and then flown to Baystate Medical Center in Springfield.

 

She was pronounced dead at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday. An autopsy will be performed Wednesday.

 

There were reports of shots fired near Dewey Avenue and Linden Streets shortly before 11 p.m. and that one of the shots had gone through the windshield of a car. The driver apparently took the injured individual immediately to Berkshire Medical Center, according to scanner reports. Channel 10 News reported at about 7 a.m. that a woman had been killed and the victim's age.

 

Dewey Avenue had been blocked off by police on Monday night and into Tuesday morning. No further information was immediately available.

 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are seeking information in the wake of several reports of a man acting aggressively toward, or possibly assaulting, women. 

 

The incidents may be related as a number of witnesses have provided similar descriptions of a man calling to them to get into his vehicle. Some have reported two men in the car. 

 

The suspect is said to dark-skinned, standing about 6-feet-tall, with short hair and accent described as possibly Jamaican or African. The individual was seen operating, or as a passenger of, an older tan or silver Toyota Camry (or similar vehicle).

 

In one case, a victim reports that the individual described above tried to physically force her into the vehicle, but she was able to strike him and flee.

 

The Pittsfield Police asks that anyone who may know the identity of the above man, or who has knowledge of recent similar cases, to contact the Detective Bureau at 413-448-9705. Tips can be left anonymously by telephone, texted to Tip411 or via the Facebook page.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Two people have been displaced from their Lakeway Drive home after a fire caused heat and smoke damage Wednesday evening.

 

Deputy Fire Chief Raymond Tart said firefighters responded to 61 Lakeway Drive shortly before 6 p.m. There they found smoke coming from the first floor and quickly snuffed it out. There were two occupants, both of whom made it out of the home safely.

 

"It appears it was objects and not the room [that burned]. There is no structural damage at all. There is fire damage to the contents and heat and smoke damage on the first floor," Tart said.

 

One of the occupants is on oxygen and the tanks could have posed a hazard. But, firefighters made a quick stop and halted the fire from spreading. Tart said he believes the fire is accidental but isn't sure exactly what started it.

 

"The fire started in the central bedroom. We are unsure of the cause at this point. We have an investigator called in," he said.

 

There were no firefighter injuries and, within the hour, the engines left the scene. Lakeway was closed at Onota and Acorn streets for the duration.

 

Tart praised the work of the firefighters.

 

"It was awesome. The fire is out and we are going home soon. They made short work of it," Tart said as the firefighters wrapped up the hoses used to extinguish the blaze.