Blotter: Muskrat mayhem at Greenport West

From Oct. 13 to Oct. 20, Southold Town police responded to the following events:

• A Greenport West man summoned police Oct. 16 to his apartment complex about a dispute with a neighbor regarding a muskrat. Upon arrival, police interviewed the caller, who said that while he was on his porch, a muskrat came near him, so he picked it up and threw it in the pond. The neighbor, who apparently witnessed this, became irate and began to threaten the man and his wife for mistreating the animal, including threats to destroy their flowers and to harm them as they had the muskrat. Officers then interviewed the neighbor, who claimed to be an avid animal lover, inside her apartment, where they found the muskrat in question, which had been rescued from the pond and put into a pet carrier on the dining room table. Officers observed the animal to be “mangy” and “showing signs of distemper,” and advised her that having a wild animal in the apartment was dangerous and illegal. A DEC officer was contacted, who encouraged the officers to “dispatch” the muskrat and call the state health department if they wanted to test for rabies. That department was contacted and said it does not test muskrats. The animal was “dispatched” and disposed of. All parties were advised not to touch or handle wild animals and to call police if another muskrat appears.
• An unlucky 76-year-old man from Patchogue stopped by Southold police headquarters on Oct. 15 to get a copy of an accident report from Aug. 20. Unfortunately for him, officers at HQ determined that he had an active warrant. He was instead arrested, processed and held to await a morning arraignment.
• A woman who placed outdoor furniture for sale by the roadway on Route 48 in Southold reported to police that a daybed, which had been cable locked, was nonetheless stolen at approximately 5 a.m. on Oct. 14. She provided police with video of a suspect stopping and taking the item. A larceny affidavit was completed.
• A Mattituck man reported to police Oct. 16 that when he went to start his vehicle he noticed the glove box open and items placed on the seat. In addition, he told police, a black backpack containing a bottle of alcohol and two glass smoke pieces had been taken from the vehicle. A request for Ring camera footage was sent.
• On Oct. 17, police received an alert to a hit and run accident at CR 48 and Bridge Lane. The caller reported observing a black Chevrolet Silverado hit a white van and leave the scene. The caller followed the Silverado to Mill Lane and provided police with an address and plate number. When police arrived, they observed the vehicle with front quarter-panel damage and a man, identified by NYS license as Elder Perez of Riverhead, 34, standing nearby on a deck. When questioned Mr. Perez said his girlfriend had been driving and left the area because she was scared. Later, the girlfriend told to officers that she had not been driving, but Mr. Perez had. He was allegedly found to be intoxicated and was transported to headquarters for processing. Officers also responded to the accident scene and assisted the driver of the vehicle that had been hit, who had sustained a head injury and was taken to a hospital.
• Police responded Oct. 18 at about 11:30 p.m. to the scene of a car vs. pole accident on CR 48 in Southold, where they found a vehicle with heavy frontend damage blocking the eastbound lane. A witness told officers that the driver had fled on foot, headed east. Police located the suspect lying in a nearby patch of woods and identified him as Miguel Ramos Sensente of Greenport, 32. He was detained and returned to the scene, where he admitted on bodyworn camera to consuming alcohol and operating the vehicle. His performance on standardized tests allegedly indicated intoxication and he was placed under arrest and transported to headquarters. A witness statement was taken and PSEG was notified.

Those who are named in police reports have not been convicted of any crime or violation. The charges against them may later be reduced or withdrawn, or they may be found innocent.