Police Report: Fire Destroys Car on Bronx River Parkway

A fire engulfed a passenger car on the northbound Bronx River Parkway, near River Road, shortly before 9 a.m., Jan. 23. Due to heavy morning traffic, firefighters’ response time was impacted, and the car was “well involved with fire from the engine and passenger compartments” when firefighters arrived, according to the official report log. Firefighters immediately stretched two hose lines and extinguished the fire with approximately 750 gallons of water and two 20-lb dry chemical fire extinguishers. Westchester County police assisted with traffic control while firefighters cleaned up the roadway with absorbent and assisted the tow truck operator with debris removal.

The driver of the car reported that he pulled over to the side of the road after hearing a loud “pop,” followed by smoke emitting from beneath the hood. He said he first saw flames coming from the engine compartment and was able to evacuate the car before the flames spread to the passenger compartment. Following extinguishment, firefighters determined the most extensive damage occurred at the front end of the car, although burn patterns spread from the front of the car to the rear of the car. Investigation noted two empty 5-gallon portable fuel container inside the car’s trunk; however, there were no indications that the contents of these containers in any way contributed to the fire’s ignition or spread. According to the driver, the container were used two days in the past to transport diesel fuel to his house at the direction of a heating oil contractor who could not provide a timely delivery.

Land Rover Stolen
At 7:20 a.m., Jan. 24, a Mamaroneck Road resident reported someone stole his 2018 Land Rover Range Rover from his driveway overnight. The value of the car is $100,000. The keys were left in the car overnight.

On Jan. 23, police conducted a traffic stop of a car with only one operable headlight traveling on Post Road. The driver’s license had been suspended for five violations over the past two years. The violations included failure to answer summonses and failure to pay fines in Bronx County, New Rochelle and Mount Vernon. The driver – Jason M. Bentley, 45, of the Bronx – was arrested on charges of second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle with three or more suspensions and an equipment violation. He was released on his own recognizance with an appearance ticket, returnable for Feb. 29.

Burglary
A Fox Meadow Road woman reported someone “was changing locks and removing property from her house” Jan. 20. Police went to the house to investigate. They noticed one broken pane of a double-paned window on an unsecured basement door. No signs of forced entry were observed. She said she was last at the house on Jan. 17 and did not notice any damage to any windows at that time. She reported that ten gift cards worth $1,900 were stolen. She also reported that a fur coat, belt, shoes and a Chanel handbag, with a combined value of $23,100, were stolen.

Car break-ins
An unlocked car was entered on Cushman Road overnight Jan. 20. A change purse and loose change were stolen.

While police were investigating the first reported incident of a car break-in on Cushman Road Jan. 21, another Cushman Road resident reported her unlocked car was also entered during the overnight period. Earbuds and loose change were stolen.

Check fraud
On Jan. 21, a Christie Place man reported someone fraudulently altered and cashed two checks drawn on his business account using a mobile deposit feature. One check was written for $3,500, and the other check was written for $1,650.22. The check numbers, memo portions and persons to be paid had all been altered on the checks. The man closed the account as soon as he discovered the fraud. He said he would like to press charges if the perpetrator could be found.

Shoplifting
On Jan. 23, police noticed a 25-year-old Village resident running past officers on Scarsdale Avenue carrying a backpack. A Scarsdale Avenue store manager then outside and told police that the resident had just stolen items from the store. Police caught up with the resident at the train platform and escorted him back to the store. There, the manager stated that the resident had removed cans of Truly Hard Seltzer from the refrigerator case and only presented a few of the cans for payment at the register. At the time of payment, the cashier inquired about cans missing from the refrigerator case and noticed three cans inside the resident’s backpack. Two cans were removed from his backpack, and the resident fled the store with one stolen can still inside his backpack. It was valued at $3.29. The store manager elected to not press charges. The store manager said the resident was not welcome inside his store in the future.

Unknown car
A person checking a Quentin Road house while the homeowner was away informed police that an unknown car was parked at the end of the snow-covered driveway Jan. 23. Police ran the plates of the car, and it came back as a rental car. Police knocked on the door, and an elderly man answered. He provided credentials verifying that he was the homeowner’s brother. He was permitted to be inside the house. Police advised him to move his car to a better location.

Welfare checks
On Jan. 20, a woman asked police to perform a welfare check of a Fox Meadow Road friend. The friend was in good condition and all was determined to be in good order.

Patrol performed a welfare check of a Colvin Road woman, at the request of the woman’s daughter, Jan. 23. The woman was OK and reached out to her daughter.

Patrol performed a welfare check of a Black Birch Lane couple, at the request of the couple’s daughter, Jan. 23. The couple was OK, although they were currently waiting for a plumber to address a broken water heater and lack of hot water. They said they would contact their daughter.

Police checked the welfare of a Black Birch Lane woman Jan. 24. She was OK and said she would notify her daughter.

Eviction
A person called from France stating that she had assumed possession of a foreclosure property on Fox Meadow Road and was evicting the current tenant Jan. 20.

Driver safety
A woman reported her elderly Park Road father was attempting to drive, and she was concerned about safety Jan. 20. Police went to the house and spoke with the father. He presented a valid driver’s license and expressed frustration that his daughter’s car, which he was attempting to drive, was having difficulty handling the conditions of a steep, icy driveway. The father then said he wasn’t going to attempt to drive that day and returned to the house. Police informed the daughter and provided contact information for the police department’s older adult advocate.

Licensed driver
A man was reportedly going door-to-door “looking for a licensed driver to operate his truck” on Herkimer Road Jan. 24. Police arrived on scene and spoke with the man, who had been stopped by Westchester County Police. The man had been operating a commercial vehicle on the Hutchinson River Parkway and struck an overpass. WCPD told the man he could drive the truck away from the scene if he was able to get a properly licensed driver to respond to the scene. He was unable to find someone able to perform the task, and a tow truck was called. Police provided the man with a courtesy ride

Property line
A Fairview Road resident reported a construction vehicle at his neighbor’s construction site keeps hitting tree that is on his property. The job foreman reported he was told that the tree was within the property lines of the job site’s property. The foreman agreed to stop work for the day and follow up with Village Hall to verify the property lines.

Sewage
Sewage was backing up into a Fox Meadow Road basement Jan. 21. Highway workers responded to address the problem.

Cars and roadways
Police set up portable stop signs because a traffic signal was out at Griffen Avenue and Weaver Street Jan. 20.

Police removed a temporary “no parking” sign from Paddington Road Jan. 21.

A Walworth Avenue resident said a white SUV, registered to a rental company, pulled into her driveway and sat there for approximately 15 minutes before leaving Jan. 21.

A car was stuck on ice on an Oakstwain Road driveway Jan. 22. Police helped the driver move the car.

Police notified Verizon of low-hanging fiber optic cables on Tompkins Road Jan. 23.

Police asked workers to move their vehicles to one side of the street to support good traffic flow on Lenox Place Jan. 24.

A group of teens standing on Rock Creek Lane at 11:30 p.m., Jan. 24, said they were looking for rides.

A clogged storm drain was causing flooding at Wynmor Road and Palmer Avenue Jan. 25. The highway department responded to clear it.

A pipe was leaking water and causing ice to form on Harvest Drive Jan. 26. Highway workers were contacted to salt the roadway while the resident actively addressed the broken pipe.

Police stood by for traffic control and safety while a driver changed a flat tire on Post Road Jan. 26.

Seven car accidents were reported in the village this week.

Animals
Police advised a woman who was walking a dog off leash and pushing a stroller on Springdale Road that she needed to leash the dog at all times in public spaces Jan. 21. She immediately put the dog on a leash and said she would restrain it in the future.

A Kids Base employee reported Village lights were out at the back of the property and coyotes were running through the parking lot at night Jan. 24. The highway department was notified about the light complaint.

A pedestrian said she was walking her dog on Garth Road, and another woman’s dog attacked her dog and almost caused the pedestrian to fall down Jan. 24. The dog owners argued and the woman with the reportedly aggressive dog went into an apartment building. Police attempted to contact her, but she was not there. Police spoke to her father instead and advised him of the incident. Neither dog was reported to have sustained any injuries.

A noise complaint about an alarm on Morris Lane led police to a small auditory device installed by a homeowner to scare away birds and animals Jan. 26. The noise was minimal and did not constitute a violation of Village Code.

Lost and found
A Central Taxi driver noticed a passenger left a cell phone in the back of his taxi, and he gave the phone to police Jan. 23. Police tracked down the owner using ID information left in the phone case and notified her of the lost phone. She said she would pick up the phone from the police desk later that day.

A Central Taxi employee reported finding a Louis Vuitton wallet in the crosswalk of East Parkway Jan. 24. Police used a work ID inside the wallet to track down the owner and notify her of the lost wallet. She said she would pick up the wallet from police after work.
A woman reported losing her driver’s license and wallet somewhere in the village Jan. 26.

Firefighters
According to Scarsdale Fire Captain, James Seymour, firefighters responded to 30 incidents during the reporting period. He provided the following details.

On Jan. 21, firefighters responded to an alarm indicating a water condition in a Madison Road house. There, they found that a water leak on the second floor had compromised first floor smoke detectors, causing them to send out a false alarm. Firefighters disconnected the compromised detectors and shut power to any light fixtures that had been compromised by water.

On Jan. 22, firefighters helped a Fox Meadow Road resident address flooding in the basement.

On Jan. 26, firefighters notified Con Edison about a reported outdoor gas odor on Stratton Road.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Jan. 20-26 has been compiled from official information.

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