UNDERAGE PARTY

KEESEVILLE -- A third arrest has been made in connection with an alleged underage-drinking party last weekend.

On Wednesday, Keeseville-based State Police arrested Shari Welch, 37, of Keeseville for allegedly purchasing beer for an 18-year-old male who is believed to have later attended the underage party at Janet Taylor's home.

Both Welch and Taylor, 42, of Keeseville, are facing a misdemeanor charge of first-degree unlawfully dealing with a child and will appear in court at a later date to face the allegations.

The party came to the attention of local authorities after a 14-year-old girl disclosed that she had engaged in sexual acts with a 21-year-old after they had both attended the party.

Christopher Burrell, of Keeseville, was later arrested for rape, endangering the welfare of a child and resisting arrest and is now behind bars at the Essex County Jail.

Police said the felony rape charged was lodged because of the girl's age.

Investigators are continuing to investigate the weekend incident and said additional arrests are pending.

FELONY ARRESTS

PLATTSBURGH -- An Atlantic City woman is facing a string of charges for allegedly ransacking a hotel room, crashing a stolen car, possessing drugs and resisting arrest.

Tiffany Williams has been behind bars at the Clinton County Jail since her arrest last Friday for allegedly breaking into an Econo Lodge room, stealing car keys and damaging the stolen car during a minor fender bender.

State Police was later contacted and arrived to find that the 22-year-old New Jersey woman had allegedly fled the area.

She was found at the Greyhound bus station a short time later when Plattsburgh City Police were contacted about an unruly customer.

When they arrived, they allegedly found Williams with heroin and a small amount of marijuana.

She allegedly became combative and struggled with police, landing herself an additional charge of resisting arrest.

State Police said Thursday that she is also facing felony charges of second-degree burglary, third-degree grand larceny, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance with the intent to sell and misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of marijuana and criminal mischief.

Williams was later arraigned and sent to the local jail on $50,000 bail.

PERU -- A local man was arrested last week for allegedly driving drunk for the second time in 10 years.

Last Friday, State Police stopped Jason Baggs at the intersection of the Telegraph and Chasm roads where they allegedly found the 30-year-old to be intoxicated behind the wheel.

Because of his previous driving-while-intoxicated conviction, Baggs was charged with a felony count of DWI.

He will reappear in court at a later date to face the allegations.

PERSONAL-INJURY ACCIDENT

CHAZY -- A Granville teen was injured Wednesday night when her car hit an embankment and flipped over.

Chazy-based State Police troopers said Dawn Wright was driving on Fiske Road around 10:15 p.m. when she veered into the oncoming driving lane, overcorrected and lost control of her car.

The 17-year-old was initially trapped inside the vehicle after it slammed into an embankment and overturned.

When officials arrived, Wright complained of head pain and was transported to CVPH Medical Center, where she was later treated and released.

She was ticketed for unreasonable speed, failing to keep right and driving out of class, since she was operating her vehicle after 10 p.m.

FIREPLACE FIRE

TICONDEROGA -- A Ticonderoga family escaped safely early Thursday morning when a fire broke out around a house fireplace.

The fire was at the Danielle Woods residence on Burgoyne Road, across from Adam's Rib Restaurant.

Woods and four other people were in the single-story home when the fire started just after 1 a.m., but all got out quickly, fire officials said.

"The first floor had a lot of smoke, and there was a fire in the wall around the fireplace," Ticonderoga Assistant Chief Matthew Watts said. "We had a very quick response, and with smoke detectors alerting the occupants and them calling 911 early, it really had an impact on saving the structure."

"Our first crews went in and opened up the wall and quickly extinguished the fire. However, it took us quite a while to get to all the hot spots, due to the stone fireplace that had to be taken apart to get to the back of it where there still was fire."

The local chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting the family until the house can be repaired.

Ticonderoga firefighters had assistance from Crown Point, with Ticonderoga Emergency Squad and Ticonderoga Town Police also at the fire.

The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Essex County Fire Investigation Unit.

and Lohr McKinstry

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