WNTK Local News

A Lebanon, New Hampshire man has been arrested for threatening citizens with a hand gun, reports the Lebanon Police Department.

On August 30, 2019, police responded to a residence on Hanover Street after receiving reports of a man attempting to start arguments while holding a gun. Upon questioning victims, the suspect was found to be 49-year-old Mark E. Gallagher.

It was discovered that while Gallagher did threaten the other residents, the gun in question was a pellet gun. He was subsequently arrested and charged with Criminal Threatening with a Deadly Weapon, a Class B Felony. An outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court was also charged.

He is scheduled to appear in court on September 16, 2019 after being released on Personal Recognizance bail. 

Two arrests were made outside the Lebanon, New Hampshire Circle K recently announces the Lebanon Police Department.

At approximately 11:24 PM on August 31, 2019, received report of a male outside the store who appeared drunk and had stolen a beer from inside. Upon arriving at the scene, two men were arrested. One, Ethan Kelly, 20, of Lebanon was the male identified. The other male was later identified as Jesse Poirier, 19, of Enfield.

It was discovered that Kelly had a warrant out for his arrest for Failure to Appear in Court on a heroin charge.

At the Lebanon Police Station, both men were uncooperative with police. Kelly broke out of his handcuffs, resisting arrest, and spitting in an officer’s eye. He has now been charged with Falsifying Physical Evidence, Theft by Unauthorized Taking, two counts Criminal Mischief, Resisting Arrest, Breach of Bail, Simple Assault, Unlawful Possession/Intoxication, Marijuana Possession and Arrest on a Warrant. He was held without bail and transferred to Grafton County House of Corrections, and arraigned on September 3.

Poirier was charged with Theft by Unauthorized Taking, Criminal Mischief, and Unlawful Possession/Intoxication and is scheduled to appear in court on November 4, 2019. 

Another investigation into a commercial robbery has been reported by the Windham County, Vermont Sheriff’s Office.

On August 30, 2019, at approximately 3 AM, suspect(s) gained access to Westminster Auto Services and stole items from within the shop. The burglary is another in a string across Vermont the past few weeks.

Any citizen with information pertaining to the burglary is asked to call the Windham County Sheriff’s Office at 802-365-4942 and ask for Cpl. J Griffus. 

Weathersfield, Vermont’s Town Manager has resigned, reports HereCast.

Reportedly, a special meeting was held on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 where John Arrison, Kelly Murphy and Dan Boyer accepted a resignation from departing Town Manager Ed Morris. His resignation is effective on September 21, 2019.

At the meeting, there was discussion among selectboard members to utilize the Vermont League of Cities and Towns’ services to help conduct the search for a new Town Manager. Finding an interim Town Manager is also a possibility at this time. 

Sullivan County Sheriff John P. Simonds is seeking public assistance in locating a fugitive from Claremont, New Hampshire.

Melissa A. Tozco, aged 39, has a warrant issued for her arrest due to failing to appear in court. Tozco was originally charged with Possession of a Controlled Drug, and Dealing in or Possession of Prescription Drugs, a Class B Felony and Class A Misdemeanor respectively.

The fugitive was arrested on June 16, 2019 by the Claremont Police Department, released and placed on bail with a citation to appear in court on July 11. After waiving her arraignment, a new date of August 15 was set at Sullivan County Superior Court. Tozco failed to appear at this time.

The 39-year-old is described as being 5 foot 1 inch and approximately 125 pounds. She has brown hair and green eyes.

Citizens with information pertaining to her whereabouts are asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 603-863-4200 or their local police department. 

The Thetford, Vermont Police Department have arrested an area couple on heroin charges, they state via press release.

On August 28, 2019, the Thetford PD, with help from the Hartford, VT PD and the State Police, executed a search warrant on a residence in East Thetford.

Seven arrests have been targeted at the residence or upon people with ties to it.

The search yielded a bulk package of heroin. Residents Raymond Ortiz, 39, and Kostantia Ortiz, 34, were subsequently arrested.

R. Ortiz has been charged with Trafficking Heroin, Transporting Heroin into the State, Aggravated Assault and Reckless Endangerment. He is currently being held at the Northeast Correctional Complex in St. Johnsbury. 

K. Ortiz was charged with Trafficking Heroin and Trafficking into the State. She is set to appear in Orange County Superior Court on August 30. 

A crash between two large vehicles traveling through Sharon, Vermont has closed down multiple exits along Interstate 89 Southbound, reports the Vermont State Police.

Around 11 AM on Thursday, August 29, 2019, Vermont State Police were made aware to the presence of a disable dump truck at mile marker 13 on I-89. Upon arrival to the scene, it was discovered that the dump truck had been hit by a 58 foot long moving vehicle. A 2019 Booska Movers truck was on its side facing northbound in the southbound lane, with the contents of its trailer strewn across the roadway. The dump bed of the 2002 International dump truck detached during the collision, leaving firewood on the interstate.

Both occupants of the Booska Movers truck, and the driver of the dump truck were extracted and transported to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and are all being treated for non-life threatening injuries. Distraction currently seems to be the main contributing factor to the crash.

Currently, both I-89 Southbound remains closed from Exit 2 to Exit 3 while crews try to remove the wreckage.

Responding to the scene were members from Sharon Fire and Rescue, Hartford Fire and Rescue, South Royalton Rescue, VT DMV Enforcement, Vermont AOT, and Vermont State Police. 

A Quechee man has plead guilty to a charge stemming from him choking his ex-girlfriend this past December, reports the Valley News.

26-year-old Matthew Nilsson has been charged with one count of aggravated domestic assault. On December 29, 2019, Nilsson choked his ex and left her unconscious on a trail alongside the White River in Sharon, Vermont. The victim, Emily Seaver, survived the attack.

Nilsson faces anywhere from 18 months to 12 years in prison, although it is anticipated that he will serve a one year sentence, followed by six months under house arrest. 

Sullivan County Sheriff John P. Simonds has identified Britnee L. Lord as the Suillivan County Fugitive of the Week.

Lord is a 27-year-old is a resident of Lempster, New Hampshire. Lord is currently a fugitive from the law after failing to appear in court. She was originally charged in November 2010 with Theft by Deception. In January 2011, the fugitive plead guilty to the charge and as part of her sentence was ordered to make restitution through the NH Department of Corrections. On March 17, 2016, Lord failed to appear at a hearing that was set due to a violation of her court order. A warrant was put out for her arrest on March 18, 2016.

Lord is described as a 5 foot 1 Inch woman weighing around 180 pounds. She has brown eyes and hair.

Citizens with any information pertaining to her whereabouts are asked to call either the Sheriff’s Office at 603-863-4200 or their local police department. 

The New London, New Hampshire Police Department arrested a man this past week following receiving information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation on August 9, 2019, they report.

Benjamin Schultz, age 20, of New London, allegedly created and posted an image to social media depicting a man holding a firearm towards the camera with a caption stating, “You better not go to school tomorrow.”

Schultz was arrested on August 22, 2019, and charged with one count of Criminal Threatening, which is a Class A misdemeanor. He is subjected to a maximum penalty of up to one year in prison and a $2000 fine.

He is being held at the Merrimack County Department of Corrections pending a further hearing on August 26, 2019.