Northport Court Report: "Wrong-Way Driver" Sentenced, A Bit Beagle and More

45-year-old Colleen McManus was sentenced to three years of probation by Judge Paul Senzer on April 4 after pleading guilty to one count of driving while intoxicated (New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law 1192-2).

McManus was arrested in the early morning hours of Jan. 6 after being pulled over for turning right onto Union Place from Main Street, a one-way street that runs the opposite way.

Upon being pulled over by Northport police officer Alan Bakker, she took a breathalyzer test, revealing a blood alcohol content of .209, over two and a half times the legal limit. She was originally charged with five offenses, including a charge of aggravated DWI, but that charge was reduced to the charge she pled guilty to. The other charges were dismissed.

The three years' probation includes special narcotics and alcohol conditions. For McManus to fulfill the alcohol conditions, she will have to refrain from consuming alcohol as well as visiting locations where alcohol is served. She will have to submit to random alcohol testing, as well as seek treatment in a facility if required by probation. Additionally, an ignition interlock device will need to be installed in any vehicle she plans to drive within ten days of sentencing. 

In addition to three years probation, McManus was sentenced to the maximum fine of $1,000 with a $400 surcharge, and her license was revoked (following a 20-day stay as requested by McManus's attorney). Judge Senzer noted that he wanted to assess a more significant fine, but was unable to do so by law. He worried that McManus would not take the offense seriously enough without a steeper punishment, and ended the sentencing imploring McManus to take care of her problems for the sake of herself and her family.

William Merschoff
William G. Merschoff, currently imprisoned in the Suffolk County Correctional Facility in Riverhead, was produced in court to face two separate second-degree misdemeanor unlawful imprisonment charges (NYS Penal Law 135.05). Merschoff was arrested on the charges on April 3, where an arraignment process began without a lawyer present. A not guilty plea was entered.

At the April 4 court appearance, a debate over Merschoff's bail ensued between Merschoff's lawyer and the Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney. Defense attorney Andrew Wolk wanted the original bail, set at $10,000 per docket (a $20,000 total), reduced on account of his client's surrender to police in good faith, while ADA Matthew Ross wanted the bail raised on account of the defendant's lengthy prior criminal record, which included 20 arrests (seven on felony charges) seven convictions (one on a felony charge), and numerous non-apperances on court dates. (Wolk countered that many of the non-appearances were from over 20 years ago.) Ross also added that four weapons belonging to the defendant were unaccounted for upon his surrender. Ultimately, Judge Senzer decided to keep the bail at the pre-determined $20,000.

In addition to the not guilty plea, orders of protection against Merschoff were issued in regard to the two men he is accused of imprisoning. As part of the order of protection, Merschoff cannot communicate or harm the two men; his license to possess firearms was also revoked. He will next appear in Northport court on April 25.

Brian Alegrio
32-year-old Northport resident Brian Algerio pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of the facilitation of the aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degree (NYS VTL 511-A1) as well as to one charge of disorderly conduct (PL 240.20)

Alegrio was originally charged with two separate counts of aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle in the third degree (NYS VTL 0511 01A) from three and four years ago, respectively.

He was charged with two separate counts of bail-jumping (NYS PL 215.55) on a separate docket due to his failure to report to court numerous times on the two previous charges. He appeared in court the previous week without counsel to be arraigned on three of the four charges against him. This week, he appeared with attorney Alia Richards.

Both charges to which Alegrio pleaded guilty were violations, reductions from the crimes he was charged with. The reduced facilitation of the unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle charge was a reduction of the earlier third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle charge, stemming from an incident that took place in Municipal Lot #1 in Northport Village on July 22 of 2007. In that case, Alegrio was sentenced to a $500 fine and an $85 surcharge. The other aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle charge was dismissed.

The disorderly conduct violation that Alegrio pleaded guilty to was a reduction of the first bail-jumping charge. He was sentenced to a $250 fine and $125 surcharge in that case, as well as a one-year conditional discharge (requiring him to abide by the law over the next year). The other bail-jumping charge was dismissed.

Other Cases
Northport resident Scott Schnell was arraigned on charges that he allowed , a violation of section 93-3C of the Northport Village Code. The two mixed-breed dogs, one muzzled, chased after a beagle walking with his owner along Burt Avenue in Northport. The unmuzzled dog proceeded to bite the beagle on the leg, causing the beagle's leg to have three puncture wounds. The dogs stopped when Schnell, who was not home at the time of the incident, returned and honked the horn of his truck. Schnell pled not guilty, and Judge Senzer adjourned the case for a month so the defendant could consider hiring counsel for a trial.

Timothy Bossert was arraigned on a charge of unlicensed operation a motor vehicle (VTL 0509.01) after a police officer discovered his license was expired upon pulling him over March 11. He pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance until a traffic conference on May 16.

Jennifer Mayer pled guilty to a 1201-A parking violation, a charge reduced from a VTL 1111 A1 traffic device violation. She was sentenced to the maximum $150 fine, and was also required to pay a $70 fee to have her license renewed (it was suspended after she failed to report to an earlier court appearance).

Brian J. Haney had a speeding ticket dismissed by the court.

With preliminary jurisdiction over felonies and general trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors, traffic infractions and local ordinance violations, Village Court is in session every Monday at 7 p.m. except state holidays in . The Clerk’s Office is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays and can be reached by calling 757-0935.

Other helpful numbers:

• Suffolk County District Attorney (criminal, traffic & all state offenses): (631) 853-7500
• Northport Village Prosecuting Attorney - Karen Kerr, Esq. (local ordinance matters): (631) 271-7560
• Suffolk County Legal Aid Society: (631) 853-5212
• Suffolk County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Information Service: (631) 234-5511