4 charged after high-speed chase from Lockport to Medina, with 2 suspects then fleeing on foot into woods
Press Release, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office
LOCKPORT – On Tuesday, August 2, at 5:05 p.m., the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office received a call reporting a Larceny from Runnings at 5789 South Transit Road.
The caller stated a black Jeep Wrangler was fleeing the scene northbound on South Transit Road and provided a license plate number for the vehicle. Niagara County Sheriff’s Deputy Keith Kennedy was in the area when the call came out and located the vehicle on South Transit Road near the Lockport city line.
Deputy Kennedy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle. The vehicle then fled into the City of Lockport. Deputy Kennedy continued to pursue the suspect vehicle through the City of Lockport and back into the Town of Lockport on Route 31.
Deputy Kennedy was then joined by Niagara County Sheriff’s Deputy Nicholas Redenbach and they continued to pursue the suspect vehicle eastbound on Route 31 into the Town of Royalton. The Middleport Police Department then joined the pursuit to assist as the pursuit then continued into Orleans County still eastbound on Route 31.
Once in Orleans County, the pursuit was joined by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, Medina Police Department, Albion Police Department, and New York State Police. Pursuing units included several K-9 units from the various agencies.
As the pursuit continued eastbound on Route 31, an assisting agency was able to successfully deploy spike strips and deflate the passenger side front tire of the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle continued eastbound before then turning southbound into an open field.
Pursuing units continued to pursue into the field where two of the occupants fled on foot into the woods on the south end of the field. An Orleans County Sheriff’s K-9 was deployed and apprehended the first suspect.
The second suspect continued to flee into the woods. Niagara County Sheriff’s Deputies, Middleport Police, and an Orleans County Sheriff’s K9 Unit entered the woods and began tracking the suspect.
At this time, the Niagara County Sheriff’s helicopter arrived on scene and began searching the area from the air. After an extended search of the area, the suspect was located in the woods and taken into custody.
The cooperation and teamwork of the involved agencies brought this incident to a successful conclusion with four people being taken into custody and charged. The four suspects and their charges are listed below:
• Kelly Simons of Rochester, NY charged with Unlawfully Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle 3rd, Reckless Driving, and numerous Vehicle & Traffic Law violations related to the pursuit. Simons is also being charged with Felony Criminal Mischief in Orleans County for damages done to a farmer’s field as a result of fleeing the police.
• Cory DuBois of Rochester, NY charged with Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd and Resisting Arrest. DuBois also had an outstanding warrant out of the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.
• Robert Ball of Rochester, NY charged with Grand Larceny 4th, Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd, and False Personation. Ball also had an additional two outstanding warrants out of the City of Rochester Police.
• Tyrone Graham of Rochester, NY charged with Grand Larceny 4th, Obstruction of Governmental Administration 2nd, Resisting Arrest, and False Personation. Graham had an additional seven outstanding warrants out of five different jurisdictions.
Simons was processed at the Niagara County Correctional Facility and then turned over to the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office to answer their charges. DuBois, Ball and Graham were held at the Niagara County Correctional Facility for centralized arraignment for their charges and outstanding warrants.
Editor’s Note: The chase reached Maple Ridge Road in Medina near the beginning of the National Night Out, when several law enforcement agencies were gathered outside Wise Middle School in Medina from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Officers from the Medina Police Department, Albion Police Department and State Police were at National Night Out with three K-9 units and were able to leave and assist in the pursuit and apprehension. Medina officers were able to deploy spike strips on Maple Ridge Road to help slow the pursuit, the Medina PD said.
