Police Report: Hartsdale man arrested for DWI; Fire in Dickel Road house

Responding to a report of an erratic driver traveling west on Mamaroneck Road, police saw a 2014 Ford Escape turning left onto Post Road and followed it at 10:15 p.m., Feb. 28. The driver stopped abruptly on Post Road 100 feet before Fenimore Road and made a right turn from the left lane. Police then saw the driver of the Ford holding and viewing a cell phone in his right hand while driving. The Ford struck curbing on Fenimore Road between Ridgecrest East and Dobbs Terrace. A flat tire sustained from this action caused the Ford to roll to a stop near Brewster Road. Police spoke with the driver – Ryoichi Takamoto, 30, of Hartsdale – and noted his eyes were glassy and bloodshot. His breath smelled of alcohol. Furthermore, Takamoto was unable to successfully perform field sobriety tests, and an alcohol sensor test confirmed the presence of alcohol on his breath. A Datamaster test at headquarters later measured his blood alcohol level at .16 of one percent. Police arrested him on misdemeanor charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense) and operation of a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of at least .08 of one percent, as well as operation of a motor vehicle while using a portable electronic device, which is an infraction. Takamoto was released to a friend on his own recognizance. He was ordered to appear at Scarsdale Village Justice Court on March 4. His car was towed to the police impound lot.

Wall fire:
A plumber soldering pipes accidentally ignited insulation in a basement garage ceiling on Dickel Road Feb. 25. A small fire started in the plywood components of the ceiling and ignited insulation in the wall above the ceiling. The plumber extinguished the visible fire and then opened a wall in the bathroom above the garage to pull out smoldering insulation. Smoke was coming from the shower wall when firefighters arrived. They further opened the wall and used pressurized water to extinguish the smoldering studs and insulation. Firefighters continued to open the wall until they did not see any more burned studs. All insulation was removed from the affected walls. Using a heat detector, firefighters checked the house for hot spots and confirmed everything was safe. Con Edison was called to check the integrity of electrical systems within the house, and the village building inspector was notified.

Stuck:
While police stood by, firefighters helped a child maneuver his leg out of the slatted frame of a wooden bunk bed at 4 a.m., Feb. 26. They used vegetable oil to lubricate the leg, and a Hydra-ram was implemented to spread apart the wooden bed slats until the leg slid free. The child's leg was not injured. The bed frame experienced minor damage.

Harassed at the pump:
On March 1, a Brambach Road man felt harassed by the driver of a black SUV at a Scarsdale Avenue gas station. The man said he accidentally locked his keys in his car while pumping gas, causing other cars to back up in line. At that time, the SUV driver – described as a stocky, white man – slowly drove past the Brambach Road man, brushing the Brambach Road man's shoulder with the SUV's mirror. The driver got out of the car, shouted expletives and pushed the Brambach Road man. The driver then got back in his car and threatened to run over the man. The driver left the gas station, southbound on Scarsdale Avenue. Gas station employees witnessed the incident. Using license plate information, police attempted to speak to the SUV driver, but he was not home at his Lakeview Avenue house. The Brambach Road man said he just wanted to document the incident.

Jewelry store:
On Feb. 26, an employee of Wilson and Sons Jewelers called police to report two suspicious men in the store. The owner thought the men were attempting to steal jewelry through tactics of distraction but probably got alarmed when they heard the employee calling police. According to the owner, one man first entered the store alone, asking about Rolex watches. When the owner asked the man to identify models of interest, the man replied, "All of them." The owner felt this response was disingenuous. A few minutes later, a second man entered the store, walked around and pretended not to know the first man. The second man walked to the other side of the store and asked to see some pieces of jewelry. A few minutes later, after the employee was overheard calling police, both men left the store together. Patrol officers stopped the men in village center. They were each 21 years old. One was from Brooklyn; the other was from Jersey City, N.J. One of the men said he took a train to Scarsdale for the afternoon but could provide no legitimate reason for being in the village or the jewelry store. A warrant check was performed, and one man had an open warrant for the possession of marijuana, issued out of South Easton, Pennsylvania. The warrant file stated that South Easton police would only extradite the individual out of New Jersey. Therefore, after advising the men of the reasons for being stopped and questioned, police released them.

Identity theft:
On Feb. 23, a Spruce Lane woman reported someone used her credit card to purchase four tires online Feb. 20. The tires, valued at $1,108.52, were delivered to the woman's house, where the perpetrator apparently picked them up. The woman cancelled her credit card and disputed the fraudulent transaction.

Fraudulent tax return:
On Feb. 23, a Greenacres Avenue woman reported someone filed a fraudulent tax return using her Social Security number. She learned about if after receiving a letter from the IRS, stating her tax return had been submitted and a refund had been requested. She was advised to file an identity theft affidavit with the IRS.

Pedestrian hit:
A38-year-old Scarsdale man was struck by a silver Honda while walking east on Popham Road, crossing Church Lane, Feb. 23. The driver – a 47-year-old Scarsdale man – was turning left from Popham Road onto Church Lane when the accident occurred. The pedestrian suffered a leg injury but refused medical attention. No summonses were issued.

Stop sign:
A man reported seeing a Supertrans mini school bus drive through a stop sign at the intersection of Franklin and Stratton roads Feb. 25. Police contacted the bus company, and a supervisor addressed the complaint with the driver. The driver admitted the violation, and the supervisor said she would handle the matter internally.

Homeward bound:
On Feb. 27, an elderly woman stopped her car on East Parkway because she could not see well in the dark. She asked a stranger for help, and the stranger assisted her by parking her car in Merchant Lot. The stranger did not stay with the woman but notified a police aside in the village. Patrol contacted the superintendent of the woman's building. He picked her up at the train station and made arrangements to pick up her car. Patrol called the stranger who helped the woman and thanked him for his kindness.

Cars and roadways:
To alert drivers, police placed traffic cones in a large pothole at Wynmor and Secor roads Feb. 23. The highway department was advised for repair.
Patrol notified the water department about a possible water main break on Dobbs Terrace. A rapidly expanding patch of ice was addressed by highway workers who applied road salt Feb. 24. During salt application, police asked a resident to relocate his parked car so salt spreaders could adequately apply salt to the road.
A car became disabled after striking a pothole at the intersection of Popham and Lockwood roads Feb. 24. Police called a tow truck to move the car.
Patrol issued a citation to the registered owner of an orange Volkswagen parked in violation of a three-hour parking restriction on Elm Road Feb. 25.
Patrol stopped the 47-year-old Hartsdale driver of a 2006 Honda pickup truck, traveling east on Mamaroneck Road, because the driver was not wearing a seatbelt Feb. 25. A DMV check of the driver's license and registration showed the registration had been suspended for five unresolved parking ticket violations within twelve months. Police issued the driver appropriate summonses and removed the car's license plates. The car was towed to the driver's house.
A two-year-old accidentally got locked inside a car on School Lane Feb. 26. Police and the child's mother were able to get the child to unlock the car.
Police asked a driver to move his car from Springdale Road to facilitate snow removal Feb. 27.
A car got stuck on ice on Bypass Feb. 27. Patrol called a tow truck to pull it off the ice.
At the request of Westchester County police, patrol stood by while the driver of a disabled car waited for a towing service on the Bronx River Parkway at 11 p.m., Feb. 27.
Police notified the highway and water departments about a pothole on Griffen Avenue in which water was pooling, possibly from a water main break, Feb. 28.
On Feb. 28, the water department was informed about a water main break at Boulevard and Nelson Road.
Police helped Eastchester police find a car involved in a hit-and-run accident in Eastchester March 1. The car was parked on East Parkway, and the owner did not deny the accident. The owner cooperated with Eastchester police.
A car slid off Weaver Street during a snow storm March 1. Police helped the driver maneuver her car back onto the road so she could continue driving to her son's house.
Eleven car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Animals:
Several neighbors complained about incessant barking from an Old Lyme Road dog Feb. 23. After conversation with patrol, the dog owner brought the dog inside.
At 2:45 a.m., Feb. 26, a Gatehouse Road resident reported a neighbor's dogs had been barking all night. Upon arrival, police heard two dogs barking to each other. One dog was outside its house. The homeowner woke up and apologized for the noise. She said she had forgotten one of the dogs was outside before she went to bed. She let the dog back in the house, and the barking stopped.
A resident reported seeing a coyote running in the street near Sheldrake and Mamaroneck roads Feb. 26. It was gone when police arrived.

Signs:
Police issued a summons to a company that posted an advertising sign for restoration services on Weaver Street, in violation of village code, Feb. 25. Patrol removed the sign.

Lost and found:
On Feb. 25, a passerby found car keys for an Enterprise rental car at Park and Oxford roads. Police contacted the Enterprise agency in White Plains, and a representative came to headquarters to pick up the keys.
On Feb. 26, a woman reported losing her wallet and car key somewhere in the village. Police advised her to cancel her credit cards, inform the department of motor vehicles and inquire about changing her car key.
On Feb. 28, a Walworth Avenue resident told police he returned a leased Mercedes-Benz to a White Plains dealership. The plates were inadvertently destroyed, because the man did not realize he needed to surrender them to the department of motor vehicles. Since the car was still registered in the man's name, he needed a police report documenting the "lost" plates in order to properly cancel his registration.
On Feb. 28, a Meadow Road parent reported the loss of her 13-year-old son's iPhone.
Keys and an ID holder were found on Depot Place March 1. Police contacted the owner who picked up the items from headquarters.

Water and pipes
On Feb. 24, residents on Brown, Drake and Dickel roads reported water entering their houses from water mains. Police notified the water department. The incidents were unrelated.
Firefighters shut off the water supply in a Post Road bathroom because a broken pipe was causing water to leak into the garage Feb. 24.
A broken water pipe could not be isolated in a Kingston Road garage; so firefighters shut off the main water supply valve Feb. 24.
On Feb. 25, before firefighters arrived at the site of a water leak in a Lawrence Road basement, a neighbor isolated the pipe and turned off the water supply.
On Feb. 26, police, firefighters and water department personnel went into a Fox Meadow Road house where water was leaking from the second floor. Water and heat were turned off to prevent further damage, and a message was left for the homeowner.
Firefighters investigated the cause of water leaking into a laundry room in a Tauton Road East house Feb. 26. The water appeared to be coming from accumulated moisture in an unused flue pipe.
Police helped a Sycamore Road housekeeper turn off water in a second floor bathroom to prevent water from leaking through the garage ceiling Feb. 27.
A Brookby Road resident reported a broken water main Feb. 28. Patrol notified the water department.
Due to a burst pipe, firefighters turned off water in an Aspen Road house March 1.

Firefighters
On Feb. 23, firefighters put a malfunctioning Christie Place garage elevator out of service. Building management called for repair.
Firefighters helped open a Secor Road garage door that was stuck closed due to ice Feb. 23.
An oil burner backfired in an Olmsted Road house, releasing carbon monoxide Feb. 23. Firefighters ventilated the house, shut down the burner and advised the homeowner to contact a service technician.
On Feb. 24, a Spier Road homeowner reported a smoke odor coming from her barbecue grill. Firefighters investigated the grill and determined there was no problem. The odor was caused by sun rays heating up the grill. Firefighters turned off the grill as a precaution.
Firefighters spread absorbent on spilled automotive fluid on Popham Road Feb. 24.
Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a gas odor inside a Lawrence Road house Feb. 24.
Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a natural gas odor outside a Ramsey Road building Feb. 25.
Firefighters helped Con Edison employees check manholes for possible gas infiltration after a gas odor was discovered on Ferncliff Road Feb. 25.
Firefighters helped a Beechwood Lane resident change batteries in a smoke detector Feb. 26.
On Feb. 27, firefighters helped Con Edison employees check three Boulevard houses for possible gas infiltration after a gas leak was detected on the street.
Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a natural gas odor near an excavation site on Barry Road Feb. 27.
On Feb. 28, firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a natural gas odor on Burgess Road.
A Catherine Road resident accidentally got locked out of her house March 1. Firefighters verified her identity and helped her get back in the house.
A fluorescent light bulb was emitting an electrical burning odor in a Lincoln Road bathroom March 1. Firefighters advised the resident to replace the bulb.
Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a natural gas odor coming from a Con Edison excavation site on Wakefield Road March 1.
This week, firefighters assisted at two car accidents in the village and on the Bronx River Parkway. They responded to three false carbon monoxide alarms and 16 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, leaking water, shower steam, dust, foam insulation spray, oil burner maintenance, snow blower exhaust and cooking smoke. Scarsdale's Troop 2

This report covering police and fire department activity from Feb. 23 – March 1 was compiled from official information.

Scarsdale Troop 2 Scouts Attend First Aid Seminar at Scarsdale Police Department

Approximately 20 boy scouts and their parents from Scarsdale Troop 2 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Scarsdale attended two recent first aid seminars led by Scarsdale Police Department Sgt. Michael Siciliano, an assistant scoutmaster at Troop 2.

The merit badge workshops, which took place on Feb. 19 and March 2 in the Scarsdale police station, included instruction on how to triage injuries, handle broken bones, CPR, transporting an injured person, the proper use of personal protection equipment and more.

The two three-hour sessions were intended to prepare the scouts for the troop's annual Disaster Night, which will be held March 5 and will give them the chance to apply the lessons they learned.

Like other officers in the department, Siciliano is trained to respond to medical emergencies as well as being proficient in CPR and the use of automated external defibrillator devices.

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