A Hit-and-Run, A Reported Stolen Car, A Trio Busted

With apologies to Sir Walter Scott: Oh what a tangled web some people weave.

What started as an apparent series of hit-and-run crashes on Greenwich Avenue ended with the arrests of three people — one of whom Greenwich Police say falsely reported the offending car to be stolen — who were involved in what police say was a scheme to shoplift at the CVS store on Greenwich Avenue.

Here’s how police say it all happened:

Shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday, an off-duty Greenwich Police detective working a side job reported a car had struck several parked vehicles on Greenwich Avenue and left the scene. While the detective was providing details to dispatchers, a woman and a man approach him and report that her dark-colored Honda Accord “had just been stolen,” according to a police report.

The unidentified detective determined that the “stolen” car was the same one that had just hit the parked cars, according to the report. Responding officers found the car crashed at the bottom of Greenwich Avenue, at the intersection of Railroad Avenue, and the driver was arrested.

The woman and her male companion told police they were willing to go to police headquarters and give written reports about the car having been stolen, according to the report.

Police said that after the written statements were given, “officers were able to get the owner of the vehicle and her friends to admit that they traveled from New York to Greenwich to steal certain items from the CVS on Greenwich Ave(nue). They also stated that they traveled with (driver of the car) and that he didn’t steal her vehicle,” according to the police report.

Officers questioned the woman about the brown tote bag she had and the items inside the foil-lined tote, and police said they determined that she and her companion had lied on their written statements.

So police arrested all three, who are New York State residents.

The driver was identified as Lamonte Riddenhour, 38, of Mount Vernon, NY, who was charged with reckless driving, making an improper turn, operating without a license, interfering with an officer, conspiracy and five counts of evading responsibility. He was held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

The car owner was identified as Georgesia N. Humphrey, 32, of Poughkeepsie, NY. She was held in lieu of $7,500 bond set on charges of falsely reporting a stolen motor vehicle, sixth-degree larceny, possession of a shoplifting device, interfering with an officer and conspiracy.

Emanuel J. Price, 40, of New Rochelle, NY, was charged with second-degree false statement, possession of a shoplifting device, interfering with an officer and conspiracy. He was held in lieu of $7,500 bond.

All three are scheduled to appear Feb. 25 in state Superior Court in Stamford.

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Photo: from left, Georgesia N. Humphrey, Emanuel Price and Lamonte Riddenhour. Credit: Greenwich Police.