Beginning in the late summer of 2022, my hope was to ask Ed where things stood with the Trustco robber, whether his detectives were still planning on heading to Florida and, if they were hoping to get there, how they would travel and how much it would cost the city. A number of circumstances prevented me from asking Ed any of those questions, then he quickly retired in early 2023 soon after HUDseen published a few articles criticizing and questioning his ability to do his job properly.
My guess is that HPD decided to let the Trustco robber suffer a fate worse than imprisonment by letting him remain in Florida for the rest of his life. Well, that odd and somewhat concerning story seems pale in comparison to the one I am about to recount as it relates to a traffic "accident" on May 1st of this year. I FOILed for the "accident" report solely because it involved a pedestrian. That alone is worthy of mention on HUDseen, but the details get rather weird and, to me, rather concerning.
The report for this "accident" contains several narratives (updates to the report, really) spread out over 3 months. They were mainly written by Sargeant Tracey Roberts, one of two HPD officers who responded to the "accident PI" (accident with personal injury). I have edited the narratives for space and clarity. Are you ready?
All redactions, and there are many, are indicated as (R). All hours in the report are military hours. (i.e., 2:11 is 2:21 am; 14:21 is 2:21 pm)
The first narrative is dated and timed as 5/01/2024 at 14:58, indicating that the "accident" occurred at about 2:45 in the afternoon, likely while National Grid was working on their never-ending State Street pipe replacement project.
May 1st, 14:58: 911 reports EMS being dispatched to 4th Street at State Street for a 70-year-old female who had fallen in the roadway and is (R). Sargeant Roberts requested HPD Communications contact Carlos Chavoloc of Galvin [sic] to attempt to see if there was video footage of the accident.
(Likely from a camera, or cameras, on the front of Galvan's building at 400 State Street)
May 2nd at 9:40: Patrol responded to the intersection of 4th & State Street for an elderly female who had fallen and struck her head. Once on the scene, Greenport Rescue Squad (GRS) was attending to the female laying on the ground (R). The National Grid truck was stopped in the crosswalk. Patrol asked the operator, John Dale, if he had struck the female. Dale said, "I don't know. I heard her yell and I hit the brakes. I think she got startled and fell to the ground." The female, identified as Sidney Long, was asked if she was struck by the vehicle. Long said she did not know if she were struck or not, but her (R). Daniel Wiecek, supervisor of Dale, arrived on the scene and was speaking to Dale.
Patrol advised Dale and Wiecek that patrol would be reviewing the camera footage regarding this accident. Kathy of GRS told patrol that Long would be transported to Albany Medical Center due to (R).
Chavoloc and Wiecek arrived on the scene to review the camera footage. While reviewing the camera footage, you can see Long walking south in the middle of the crosswalk at North 4th and State Street when Long was struck by the National Grid truck operated by Dale. Dale was travelling north on North 4th Street attempting to make a left turn onto State Street, while having the green light, when he struck Long in the middle of the crosswalk. Wiecek was advised by patrol that Dale will be (R). Patrol will attempt to retrieve a hard copy of the camera footage from Chavoloc.
Patrol received an update on Long's medical condition from Jennifer Belton. Belton said Long has a (R). Long will be admitted to Albany Medical Center, once a bedroom becomes available. Patrol advised Belton to keep patrol informed regarding Long's medical status.
MV104A to be filed.
Case file generated.
May 7th at 5:25: MV104A completed and submitted for review.
May 8th at 11:02: MV104A reviewed and accepted by Lt. Jeffrey Keyser.
May 11th at 2:21: Amended MV104A completed and accepted by Lt. Keyser #71
May 20th at 18:45: Patrol contacted Daniel Wiecek regarding John Dale's (R -- probably "traffic tickets"). Wiecek wanted to (R) for Dale. Patrol advised Wiecek the (R).
Dale did not respond to HPD to retrieve his VTL traffic tickets. VTL tickets were placed in the case file.
Then, 6 weeks later!
July 1st at 19:15: I received a voicemail from John Dale regarding him picking up (R). Dale's message stated that he had (R) but that he will be into HPD to (R).
And another 3 weeks later!
July 24th at 10:32: Patrol contacted Dale via cell phone and advised him he needed to (R). Dale said he had been in the hospital with (R) and he could not make it to Hudson at the previous time that was scheduled. Patrol met Dale in Schodack at the Park and Ride (a very long R).
And that's the "accident PI involving a pedestrian" report in a nutshell.
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According to Google, the Schodack Park and Ride is 25.2 miles from Hudson, or about a half hour ride. In late July, we paid for a Hudson officer or two, and the gasoline the vehicle burned, to get to and from Schodack to hand two traffic tickets to a National Grid employee who turned a corner in Hudson in broad daylight on May 1st and knocked over a woman who had the right of way in the crosswalk. Who at HPD made the decision to do this? Police Chief Mishanda Franklin, presumably? What geographical limitations, if any, does HPD have to get simple traffic tickets into the hands of someone who, for one reason or another, was never actually issued the tickets in person? Is Florida beyond the limit? (Florida the state, not Florida, New York!)
The two simple traffic tickets DRIVEN TO AND HANDED TO National Grid employee John Dale in Schodack, NY for traffic violations that took place nearly 3 months prior in Hudson (and nearly killed a woman) were as follows:
VTL 1151, FAILURE TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY TO PEDESTRIAN IN CROSSWALK (1 count)
and
VTL 1160 IMPROPER LEFT TURN TWO WAY ROAD (1 count). (The reason for this ticket is a mystery to me.)
Last Friday, in an attempt to garner information about Sidney Long's recovery from being struck and knocked over by the National Grid truck, I entered the store that I know Jennifer Belton to be an employee of. I was told she was not present but that she would be back on Monday. Within a few hours, I got a voicemail from HPD Sargeant Larry Edelman telling me that he needed to speak to me about a "case" involving me and Jennifer Belton. A few hours later, I got a knock at the door. Edelman told me that while I had done nothing wrong, Jennifer Belton does not want me entering her store when she is there.
I emailed Belton, explaining that I had stopped by her store hoping to she might share any information she had regarding Long's recovery. She responded, saying that information regarding Long's health was personal and was none of my business. Jennifer Belton, 4th ward council member, then concluded, "if you come to my second job again I will consider it harassment and I will call the police."
Such a nice, warm, friendly council member we have in that Jennifer Belton! What a gal!
Why didn't HPD issue the driver his two traffic tickets right then and there when they responded to the "accident" on May 1st? He nearly ran over a pedestrian in a crosswalk who had the right of way! What's the problem, why the delay in issuing the tickets? Why did it take over two and a half months for the driver of the National Grid truck that struck Sidney Long to be in possession of his two traffic tickets and why did we have to treat him like a child? How much did it cost in taxpayer money for HPD to hand National Grid employee John Dale his two traffic tickets at the fucking Schodack Park and Ride because he refused to come to Hudson to get them? (So what if he is no longer a NG employee and not near Hudson regularly!)
Finally, if Long had died after being struck by Dale's truck -- either on the spot or later in the hospital -- would HPD still have driven to the Schodack Park & Ride to hand him his two traffic violation tickets? Would there have been any other consequences besides traffic tickets for Dale for failing to yield to an elderly pedestrian in a crosswalk and killing the victim?
Can you imagine the horror of being rightfully and properly in a crosswalk and suddenly noticing a truck bearing down on you, feet or inches away, then feeling the impact? Can you imagine that Sidney Long will ever feel comfortable walking in Hudson again if she returns? How the hell did John Dale not notice Sidney Long in the crosswalk?
Did Tracy Roberts or Randy Strattman bother to administer a field sobriety test to Dale after seeing the video evidence that contradicted what he claimed about the "accident"? According to the report, the answer is no. A driver turns into a crosswalk and doesn't see a pedestrian walking right in front of him? Then he tells lies, claiming he didn't hit the victim who is laying on the ground with a head wound right in front of his vehicle? And still no sobriety test?
The driver of the car who hit a pedestrian (also a woman) in the crosswalk across Green Street at State Street earlier this year said pretty much the same thing to HPD when they asked him what happened. "Oh, she faked it, I didn't hit her. I stopped before I hit her, she just fell to the ground." I was there and I heard it all. Read about that "accident" here if you haven't already: Pedestrian Struck.
Our streets are getting more dangerous. More traffic means more "accidents," including those involving pedestrians just trying to get from one side of the street to the other. Do not assume cars and trucks are going to stop for you while crossing the street, even in crosswalks -- do your best to make eye contact with drivers. If you notice a dangerous situation, call HPD and DPW and make a complaint. Make them do their job of keeping us safe.
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