Two arrests top the Shelter Island police blotter for May 30 to June 5, a week that also included a fender bender, snake reports, and a vehicle mixup.
On Tuesday, May 31, SIPD arrested Ernesto Sosa-Contreras, 47, of Riverhead, on charges of strangulation and reckless endangerment. Both are class A misdemeanors. Find details in this Gazette post. At arraignment the following day, the presiding judge released him on his own recognizance, with orders to return to court at a later date, and issued an order of protection on behalf of the victim.
On Wednesday, June 1, SIPD arrested Thomas B. Roux, 38, of Brooklyn, on three felony drug charges, including criminal possession with the intent to sell heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Two charges were for criminal possession in the 3rd degree, a class B felony. The other charge, criminal possession in the 4th degree, is a class C felony. Find details in this Gazette post.
At arraignment the following day, the presiding judge released him on his own recognizance with orders to return to court at a later date.
Note: This post is based on information provided by the Shelter Island Police Department. Those named have not been convicted of a crime, and charges against them may be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found not guilty.
An accident
On Thursday, June 2, Edward N. Madoya-Smyth of Sag Harbor told SIPD he was backing up from a space in the lot at Shelter Island Slice when his vehicle struck another driven by Cary S. Tamarkin of Shelter Island, causing more than $1,000 in damage to Tarmarkin’s vehicle.
Tickets and warnings
An officer stopped and ticketed Zqhuruddin Asadi of Hicksville on Monday, May 30, around 7:35 PM, on New York Avenue, for failure to stop at a stop sign, and aggravated unlicensed operation in the 3rd degree (a misdemeanor). Officers issued six verbal warnings to drivers in traffic stops. SIPD also issued 32 parking tickets.
Bay constables issued warnings to two boaters during vessel stops.
Detailed police blotter for May 30 to June 5
Monday, May 30
Around 2:44 AM SIPD responded to a noise complaint in the Center, but the officer heard no loud music. Officers assisted with traffic control during Memorial Day observances in the Heights and Center.
A caller reported a boat was parked without permission in a Center driveway; the boat owner said it was delivered to the wrong address. A West Neck caller reported finding bones on a beach; the responding officer determined they were deer bones.
A volunteer Shelter Island Emergency Medical Services team (SIEMS) transported an aided case to Stony Brook/Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport (SB/ELIH). A short time later, another SIEMS team transported a person to SB/ELIH who’d been bitten by a dog.
SIPD provided assistance to a caller who was confused. An officer helped a driver who was locked out of a vehicle. A West Neck caller snapping turtle climbing a retaining wall; the animal control officer (ACO) transported it to the nearest freshwater pond.
The owner of a boat aground in West Neck Creek told SIPD that he’d tied the boat parallel to shore in order to make repairs. Officers completed 2nd quarter rifle re-qualification at the Suffolk County PD range in Westhampton.
An officer conducted distracted driving enforcement in the Heights and issued two tickets (details above) and a verbal warning. A passerby reported a vehicle driven erratically on Cobbett’s Lane; the responding officer canvassed the area with negative results.
Around 10:17 PM, SIEMS transported an aided case.
Tuesday, May 31
SIPD responded to a burglary alarm at a Center business at about 1:19 AM; there was no sign of criminal activity.
Later that morning, a Silver Beach resident reported a possible fraud relating to an email. An ACO checked for dogs at West Neck beaches but found none.
SIEMS transported an aided case to SB/ELIH. An officer assisted another agency in responding to an open 911 call; no further action was taken. A caller notified SIPD about pending vehicle repossession.
SIPD advised a caller complaining about a landlord/tenant dispute that it was a civil matter for consultation with an attorney.
Wednesday, June 1
Shortly after midnight, the police dispatcher reported a possibly intoxicated caller; the responding officers told the caller to refrain from contacting SIPD absent an emergency.
Around 3:23 AM, SIEMS, with the support of a North Ferry crew, transported an aided case to SB/ELIH. Later that morning, a West Neck caller reported a landlord entered the property without giving proper notice. (In following up, SIPD advised the landlord to give prior notice to SIPD so the tenant could be alerted in advance to his presence on the property.)
In the Center, a caller reported seeing a dog inside a truck for about 20 with windows up; the vehicle was gone when an officer arrived. In the Heights, a caller reported a dog at large; the ACO returned the dog to its home.
The manager of a Heights business reported a person has been instructed not to enter the premises and requested that SIPD reiterate the message. An officer escorted two people to arraignments at Shelter Island Justice Court.
An ACO checked West Neck beaches for dogs; none were present. Suffolk County PD asked SIPD to follow up on a call the department received from a person who seemed agitated and confused.
A Center caller reported someone was driving past her house screeching his tires; the responding officer said SIPD would speak with the suspect and conduct extra patrols. An officer assisted a person who fell outdoors at home but wasn’t injured and declined medical attention.
A Ram Island caller complained about a harassing email sent to a group. A Center caller reported a vehicle parked in a lot for four days; SIPD tracked down the owner’s wife who said he’d been called away on an emergency and would remove it the following day.
Thursday, June 2
An unsecured pool house door at a Menantic residence tripped an alarm around 1:38 AM; the responding officer found no sign of criminal activity and secured the door.
SIEMS transported an aided case to SB/ELIH. Police officers assisted Shelter Island School personnel conduct a lockdown drill.
A Hay Beach caller reported a rooster at large; the responding ACO was unable to find the bird and notified the caller it was not lawful to trap and relocate the rooster.
An officer administered oxygen to an aided case until SIEMS arrived and provided transport to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital for further medical assistance. SIPD responded to a caller’s reported concerns about a relative.
The Det/Sgt met with pre-school personnel to discuss school safety protocols. An ACO checked West Neck beaches for dogs and found none present. A Silver Beach caller reported a possible email scam.
SIPD assisted a person with fingerprinting. A Center caller handed in a found driver’s license; it was returned to the owner by mail, as requested. A dog at large was reported in the Center; the ACO couldn’t find it.
A house cleaner accidentally tripped the alarm at a Shorewood residence.
Friday, June 3
Overnight, SIPD notified the Shelter Island Highway Department of a downed tree blocking a Hay Beach roadway.
A caller reported seeing a banded pigeonat Reel Point that was unable to fly; the bird flew away when the responding ACO approached it.
An officer conducted distracted driving enforcement in the Heights, monitoring ferry traffic, and observed no violations. SIPD responded to a request for a welfare check via Suffolk County PD.
A Center caller reported a large snake in a driveway; the snake went into a foundation hole before the responding ACO arrived. The caller show the ACO a photo that confirmed it was a non-native constrictor type (and likely someone’s pet).
A short time later, the ACO responded to another snake call; this one proved to be a harmless garter snake on a Center deck. The ACO advised the caller to leave it alone. A HiLo caller reported a sick raccoon; the ACO searched but didn’t find it.
A Ram Island caller reported non-guests had entered a private beach area; the call was for informational purposes only. SIPD assisted a driver locked out of a vehicle.
Saturday, June 4
A Heights caller reported there’d been a bat in the house the night before; the ACO wasn’t able to locate it and told the caller to report back if appeared again.
While on patrol at Wades and Crescent beaches the ACO issued four verbal warnings about dogs. Please note: no dogs, leashed or not, are allowed at Wades, Crescent, and Shell beaches between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
An alarm sounded at a Center office; the back door was ajar but there was no sign of criminal activity. Officers completed pistol re-qualification training at the SCPD range in Westhampton.
Around 11 AM, a Hay Beach caller filed a noise complaint; the responding officer found a woman playing music on outdoor speakers. She said she had not realized the outdoor speakers were on and agreed to turn down the volume.
In the Heights, a motorist found a bag and handed it over to an officer performing radar enforcement. The bag was reunited with its owner. SIPD took part in a Mass Casualty Incident training program at Greenport High School hosted by Southold Town PD in conjunction with other agencies.
A Center caller found a banded pigeon unable to fly; the ACO collected it, tracked the band to the owner in New Jersey, and placed the bird with a wildlife rehabilitator until the owner could retrieve it.
SIPD assisted a driver locked out of a truck. A bay constable assisted a person who went overboard in Southold Bay and helped the boat operator anchor the disabled vessel to await marine towing.
Officers completed a 4-day investigative interviewing and advanced interrogation program in Hampton Bays.
Around 5:30 PM, an officer assisted drivers in sorting out a mixup involving two identical cars parked in the same lot. The driver of car one called the police after the driver of car two drove off in car one. The responding officer located the mistaken driver, who handed over the car one keys, and the officer returned car one to the correct driver. Later, SIPD returned car two to its driver.
In the Center, a dog owner reported the pet had gotten loose; it returned home on its own prior to the ACO’s arrival.
Just before 7 PM, a Menantic caller reported a woman overboard and her empty dingy circling nearby. A bay constable responded and found the woman, unharmed, had been helped back to the vessel by a friend. He issued a warning for an equipment violation and she headed back to her vessel anchored in West Neck Harbor.
A caller reported a prior theft that happened in New York City; the responding SIPD officer advised the caller to report the matter to NYPD. SIEMS transported an aided case to SB/ELIH. A HiLo smoke alarm sounded; the responding officer found it was due to a low battery.
Sunday, June 5
A caller reported that a member of the household had not returned as expected from an outing the previous night; a short while later, the person returned safely.
An officer conducted Environmental Conservation Law checks at Hay Beach (where 13 people were fishing) and Bootleggers Alley (where 9 were fishing), found no violations and reminded all to remove their trash when leaving.
Around 8:53 AM, a Center caller reported loud noise coming from Fiske Field that woke him up. The responding officer found organizers of a Bucks pre-season baseball clinic were testing the audio. They agreed to turn down the volume.
An ACO checking Town beaches for dogs issued a verbal warning to a dog owner at Wades Beach and found no dogs at Crescent Beach. A West Neck caller reported a person fishing from his dock without permission; the responding officer spoke with people in the area who said they had not gone on the dock.
A Menantic caller reported losing a phone; he couldn’t find it using the tracking app. Around 1:55 PM, an officer conducted a foot patrol along Crescent Beach. At Hay Beach Point around 3 PM, an officer notified the owners of a large tent that no camping is allowed on the beach; they removed it.
A traffic control officer reported a tree limb blocking a West Neck roadway, and directed traffic until the Highway Department could remove it. A Center caller reported a loose dog; the responding officer was able to locate the owner, who retrieved the dog.
An officer conducted distracted driving enforcement in the Center and observed no violations.
To learn more about the Shelter Island Police Department, visit its website, shelterislandtown.us/shelter-island-police-department. To report an emergency, dial 911 and provide details to the dispatcher. For non-emergency calls, reach SIPD directly at 631-749-0600. Send mail to PO Box 1056, Shelter Island NY 11964.
If you wish to register a compliment or complaint about the SIPD or one of its officers, you can find the complaint policy here and the compliment/complaint form in English at this link. While you may file a compliment or complaint anonymously, doing so means you lose the opportunity to be contacted for more information or to learn of actions taken related to your compliment or complaint. You may also submit compliments/complaints to a member of the Town Board; they serve as Shelter Island’s Police Commissioners. Report complaints of a criminal nature to the Town Attorney (631-749-0027) or the Suffolk County District Attorney (631-853-4161).
Si desea registrar un cumplido o una queja sobre el SIPD o uno de sus funcionarios, puede encontrar la política de quejas aquí y el formulario para cumplidos/quejas en español en este enlace. Si bien puede presentar un cumplido o una queja de forma anónima, hacerlo significa que pierde la oportunidad de ser contactado para obtener más información o conocer las acciones tomadas relacionadas con su cumplido o queja. Los cumplidos/quejas también se pueden enviar a los miembros de la Junta del Pueblo, quienes sirven como Comisionados de Policía de Shelter Island. Las quejas de naturaleza penal pueden presentarse al Fiscal Municipal (631-749-0027) o al Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Suffolk (631-853-4161).
