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Video Leads to Animal Cruelty Charge For Pittsfield Woman
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police are charging a city woman with animal cruelty after a video of her carrying her small dog by the collar went viral locally.
Police say on Sunday at about 9:30 a.m. they responded to a report of cruelty at the First Street Common earlier in the day. Police reviewed video evidence and witness accounts and determined to summons Melinda Alston, 44, to answer for a single count of cruelty to animals.
Police said the dog in question was observed and is in good health.
A video of the incident had been posted to Facebook showing the woman, police believe was Alston, yelling at the small dog before picking up into the air by the collar. The woman was confrontational with the witness recording the video. The video received numerous comments, shares, and views — and many comments had tagged the Pittsfield Police Department or called to report the incident.
Police Chief Michael Wynn on Wednesday afternoon released the statement regarding the charge.
Two Juveniles Arrested For Breaking and Entering In Pittsfield
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Police arrested two juveniles for breaking and entering Tuesday.
Police said the department received a call for a breaking and entering in progress on Linn Street. Witnesses said two suspects had fled the scene prior to officer's arrival. They were described as two black men, wearing hooded sweatshirts, jeans and carrying backpacks.
Shortly after officers located them in the area of Saint Joseph Cemetery on Peck's Road. The two matched the physical and clothing descriptions reported by witnesses.
Police said a K9 unit was able to locate several pieces of evidence. This incident is currently under investigation by Officer Kipp Steinman of the Pittsfield Police Uniformed Patrol Division, the Pittsfield Police Detective Bureau and Crime Scene Services.
Anyone who has any information regarding this incident is requested to contact Officer Kipp Steinman of the Pittsfield Police Department at 413-448-9700 extension 601. Information can also be provided anonymously via the Detective Bureau, the Drug Tips hotline at 413-448-9708, or by texting "PITTIP" plus your message to TIP411 (847411).
Deer Relocated After Getting Stuck in Pittsfield's Downtown
Police received a call of a deer trapped in fencing at First and Fenn Street. The deer then fled to the Brien Center near First and Third Street, where it tucked itself in an alcove behind an air conditioning unit.
"We received a call for a deer stuck in fenced-in areas in the downtown. Patrol officers did their best to free it from those fenced in areas but given the congestion and the urban downtown environment, the deer has no way to get back," Police Capt. Matthew Kirchner said.
MassWildlife tranquilized the deer and the Massachusetts Environmental Police transported it out of the city's downtown core. The deer is expected to survive.
"We were able to safely and humanely dart the animal and relocate it back to the wild safely," Kirchner said. "They'll spend time with her, monitor her, until she is on her own."
The deer wouldn't have been much of a concern in other areas of the city but because of the heavily congested location officers had public safety concerns.
"It is a public safety hazard. If it runs out to the street there are car accidents with people trying to avoid it," Kirchner said.
MassWildlife rallied the resources needed, including the tranquilizer and nets to keep it from running away after being darted, the Police Department had patrol officers pick up bags of ice to keep the deer cool while being transported. By the time the deer had gotten to that particular location, it had received some minor scrapes and bleeding but Kirchner said there weren't any significant injuries.
"We rely heavily on our partners with MassWildlife and Environmental Police and our animal control officers because they are the experts in this field. We lean on them in the direction and best resources available," Kirchner said.
A deer rescue from downtown is fairly unique -- and generates plenty of calls to dispatch -- but wildlife rescues are fairly common. More frequently bears find their way into residential areas but the process is the same for deer.
"They'll happen periodically throughout the year," Kirchner said.
Mass MoCA Director Facing Charges in Fatal Crash
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The director of the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is being charged in the fatal accident last year that killed an Adams man.
According to reports in The Berkshire Eagle on Thursday, Joseph Thompson is scheduled to be arraigned on June 19 on a charge of motor vehicle homicide by negligent operation in Northern Berkshire District Court.
A 2001 Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Steven Fortier, 49, of Adams collided with Thompson's 2015 Audi on Church Street near the intersection with Ashland. Fortier was heading south and Thompson north the evening of July 20, 2018.
A show-cause hearing was held on May 9. Police Chief Jason Wood told The Eagle that the department had waited on the state police reconstruction report before determining whether to move forward with charges.
Thompson's attorney, Timothy Shugrue, says his client is not guilty of the misdemeanor, noting to The Eagle that it had been confirmed by police that Thompson had not had alcohol or was in use of his phone.
"I'm very confident that he's innocent and I'm very confident it's going to be found that way," he told The Eagle.
Fortier had been at the Mohawk Tavern the night of the accident and his condition, according to witnesses, along with several unrelated incidents regarding overserving, led to the bar's hours being reduced for several months last fall.
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