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Pittsfield Bicyclist Dies After Colliding With School Bus |
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Staff Reports On: 03:48PM / Monday October 03, 2011 |
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A city bicyclist died after being stuck by a city school bus on Monday morning.
Shortly before 8 a.m. Everett Clark, 63, was riding eastbound on East Street when a school bus made a right-hand turn from Willis Street onto East Street, where the two collided. Clark was taken to Berkshire Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead as a result of the crash.
Police said the bus driver, Catherine Collins, 44, of Pittsfield, was unable to avoid the collision.
The crash is currently under investigation and police are asking any witnesses to contact the accident investigation unit at 413-448-9700 extension 338.
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Superior Court Briefs: September 22 - September 29 |
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Staff Reports On: 04:31PM / Friday September 30, 2011 |
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Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Thursday, September 22
Michael Pahl, 24, of Bristol, Conn. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on two counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime, two counts of malicious destruction of personal property over $250 and a single count of larceny in a building.
Pahl was released on personal recognizance. It is alleged that Pahl broke in to two homes in Becket between November 23, 2010 and December 8, 2010.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, September 27
Robert Whipple, 44, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to two counts of dissemination of visual material of a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct and 19 counts of knowingly possessing visual material of a child depicted in sexual conduct.
Whipple was sentenced to one to two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction on two counts of dissemination of visual material of a child in a state of nudity or sexual conduct and 18 counts of knowingly possessing visual material of a child depicted in sexual conduct.
Whipple was placed on three years probation on the remaining possession charge. During the probation period he must undergo counseling, forfeit all computer equipment and can not own a phone or device capable of accessing the internet.
Whipple had child pornography on his home computer between December 3, 2005 and June 12, 2009.
Kevin Karch, 47, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to 40 counts of possession of visual material of a child depicted in sexual conduct.
He was sentenced to concurrent two to five years at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on 39 of the counts. He was placed on three years probation on the other charge. During the probation period he must undergo counseling, forfeit all computer equipment and can not own a phone or device capable of accessing the internet.
Karch had images on his home computer in July, 2009 and February, 2010.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Thursday, September 29
Jon Gilmore, 21, of Pittsfield was found guilty by a jury on two counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon and single counts of illegal possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a dwelling.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction without bail pending sentencing on Oct. 3.
Gilmore attempted to assault a 22-year-old man in Pittsfield on August 16, 2009.
Gilmore was found not guilty on a single count of armed assault with intent to murder.
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Superior Court Briefs: September 12 - September 16 |
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By: Staff Reports On: 02:06PM / Monday September 26, 2011 |
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Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Monday, September 12
Timothy Primm, 31, of Bristol, Conn. had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on 15 counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime, six counts of larceny over $250, 15 counts of malicious destruction of property, eight counts of larceny in a building and a single count of common and notorious thief.
Primm was released on personal recognizance. The charges stem from a series of house break-ins in Becket between September 1, 2010 and July 11.
Corey Catala, 40, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of trafficking in heroin, trafficking in cocaine and distribution of heroin.
Catala was sentenced to concurrent five year sentences on the trafficking charges and a concurrent four to five year sentence on the distribution charge at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction.
Catala sold heroin in Pittsfield on September 20, 2010 and the trafficking charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Tuesday, September 13
Daniel Delsonno Jr., 48, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of unarmed robbery. He was sentenced to three to six years in state prison.
Delsonno took money from a 53-year-old man in Pittsfield on November 22, 2010.
Michael Purry, 37, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute and conspiracy to violate drug laws.
Purry was sentenced to concurrent three to four year sentences at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at the Holiday Inn in North Adams on March 2.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Wednesday, September 14
Michael Cook, 34, of Williamstown pleaded guilty to three counts of rape of a child and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14.
Cook was sentenced to concurrent five to seven years in state prison. The incidents occurred in Williamstown between June 1, 2008 and September 23, 2008 and involved a boy who was 12-years-old at the time.
Five additional counts of rape of a child, three counts of intimidation of a witness, two counts of threat to commit murder and single counts of indecent assault and batter on a child under the age of 14 and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon were dismissed by the state.
Anthony Acito, 22, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury.
Acito was sentences to two to three years in state prison. He attacked a 20-year-old woman in Pittsfield on October 20, 2010.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Thursday, September 15
Kenneth Wood Jr., 56, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.
Wood was sentenced to 30 days at the Berkshire County House of Correction. He conspired with others to sell drugs between February 3, 2010 and February 17, 2011.
Mark Welch, 44, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate drug laws.
He was sentenced to 30 days at the Berkshire County House of Correction. Welch admitted that he conspired with others to sell drugs between October 14, 2010 and October 21, 2010.
Eric Marcel, 33, of Pittsfield was sentenced to one to two years at the Berkshire County House of Correction after pleading guilty on Sept. 8 to one count of larceny ongoing and continuing offense.
He was also placed on one-year probation after he took about $200,000 from Johnson Ford Lincoln-Mercury Nissan, Inc. while employed there between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2008.
John Cook, 38, of North Adams pleaded guilty to a single count of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
He was sentenced to one year at the Berkshire County House of Correction and placed on one-year probation. The charges stem from the execution of a search warrant at his home on September 20, 2010. An additional count of drug violation in a school zone was dismissed by the state.
Cases heard before Judge John Agostini on Friday, September 16
Lemarr Talley, 28, of Pittsfield had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on a single count of trafficking in cocaine.
The charges are in connection with a motor vehicle stop in Pittsfield on Aug. 22 and Talley was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $10,000 cash or $100,000 surety bail.
Michael Swenson, 19, of Pittsfield pleaded guilty to single counts of armed robbery and assault by means of a dangerous weapon.
Swenson was sentenced to two and a half to three years in state prison in connection with a theft from La Fogata Restaurant on Tyler Street on Aug. 7.
An additional count of assault by means of a dangerous weapon was dismissed by the state.
Jason Daigneault, 24, of Cheshire had not guilty pleas entered on his behalf on single counts of breaking and entering in the nighttime, larceny from a building and breaking glass in a building.
He was ordered to be held at the Berkshire County House of Correction on $5,000 cash or surety bail.
Daigneault allegedly broke into Aaron's Sales and Lease in Pittsfield on July 1.
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North Adams Man Sentenced in Wife's Murder |
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By: Staff Reports On: 02:09PM / Tuesday September 20, 2011 |
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 PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A North Adams man was given a life sentence on Tuesday for murdering his wife three years ago.
Julie Burdick Shade died July 30, 2008, at Berkshire Medical Center from injuries she received at the hands of her husband, Eugene A. Shade II, eight days earlier at their Edgewood Avenue home in North Adams. Julie Shade was 22 years old and left behind two small children.
Eugene Shade, now 37, pleaded guilty in Berkshire Superior Court on Tuesday afternoon to single counts of murder in the second degree and assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (knife).
Judge John J. Agostini ordered him to serve a life sentence at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Cedar Junction on the murder charge. He was given a concurrent two to three-year state prison sentence on the assault charge.
The couple had argued about separating, according to police reports, on July 22, 2008. Shade had attacked his wife with a pillow and with his hands, strangling her, and held a knife to her throat. He called 911 himself. Julie Shade died after eight days on life support.
The investigation was conducted by members of the North Adams Police Department and state police detectives assigned to the district attorney's office.
The maximum sentence for second-degree murder is life, with eligibility for parole in 15 years.
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Three Arraigned in Pittsfield Triple Homicide |
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By: Joe Durwin On: 10:08AM / Tuesday September 20, 2011 |
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Three suspects pleaded not guilty on Monday morning to murder charges stemming from the discovery of the bodies of three Pittsfield men, first reported missing Aug. 28.
The arraignment followed an announcement on Sunday that the remains of David Glasser, Robert Chadwell and Edward Frampton, were found in what was described as a "burial pit" at an undisclosed location on Saturday.
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District Attorney David Capeless answers questions outside Berkshire Superior Court on Monday after three men were arraigned on a triple homicide.
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Media from around the region joined a Central Berkshire District Court room packed full of friends and family of both defendants and victims. Defendants David Chalue and Roy Gutfinski aka (Caivus Velvois) were arraigned first, around 11 a.m. Chalue is represented by attorney Leonard Cohen, while Gavin Reardon was appointed defense for Gutfinski. Adam Lee Hall, represented by William Rota, was arraigned last around 11:30.
All three defendants were ordered held without bail and without prejudice at the request of District Attorney David F. Capeless and the agreement of lawyers for the defense. Trial dates for all three were set for Oct. 12.
Defendants were transported into the District Court building amidst a crowd of nearly a dozen security personnel in plainclothes in addition to the usual court security and police presence.
After the arraignment, Capeless spoke to reporters briefly about what his office was doing to allay the public's concerns about safety in the aftermath of these events.
"We're asking anyone to please come forward with any information about the case ... We are making every effort to investigate and prosecute this case, that's what we're doing."
When asked what his office had been able to learn about the Hells Angels club, of which Adam Lee Hall is known to be a member, with respect to this case, Capeless said, "I'm not going to comment on that at all," cutting off all questions abruptly.
Defense attorney William Rota maintained that he knew almost nothing about the case yet, but did say he saw no reason for citizens to become alarmed about their own safety.
"No community is without its potential for violence. This is not a 'stranger' crime," he said, acknowledging that the victims and his client knew each other. "It doesn't make the area any more or less safe."
Some relatives of victim Robert T. Chadwell expressed frustration after the arraignment with what some of them perceived as a failure on the part of authorities to protect Glasser as a witness against Hall, despite stated fears of retaliation.
One family member, who identified herself as Yvette, said she felt that fears of retaliation by Hall or associates of his were not taken seriously by police. "Pittsfield is just not equipped for this. Pittsfield failed these men."
Capeless, at Sunday's press conference, said precautions were made to keep Glasser safe that were in line with witness's wishes.
Ongoing search of several locations, including the Cloverdale Road home of Gutfinski and that of Chalue on Madison Avenue, took place throughout the day on Monday as neighbors and members of the media looked on.
Trial will begin for each of the three suspects at Berkshire Superior Court on Oct. 12.
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