From Police Chief Tim O'Grady:
At approximately 11:30 a.m. the Wellsville Police Department was notified by the County 911 Center that a vehicle that had been involved in a pursuit on
I-86 between Jamestown and Belmont may be traveling south on Route 19 into the Village. Officers intercepted the suspect vehicle on the Wellsville Arterial near the Bolivar Road intersection and followed the vehicle through the Village. The suspect vehicle turned off of the Arterial onto West Dyke Street where it became stuck in a line of traffic at the stop sign located at the South Main Street intersection. While the suspect vehicle was stopped in traffic, officer’s attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The suspect vehicle suddenly made an erratic maneuver and sped down Main Street at a high rate of speed. Because of the suspect’s disregard to the public’s and his own safety, the suspect vehicle was not pursued. The County 911 Center then received information from a citizen that the suspect vehicle may be parked in a parking lot located at the dead end of North Main Street and that three occupants with suitcases were seen entering the woods. Wellsville Officers, with the assistance of Troopers detained the three suspects pending further investigation. After police determined the identity of the vehicle’s operator, two of the three suspects were released without charges.
Wellsville Police charged Steven J. Lichtman, age 44, from Trotwood, Ohio with Reckless Endangerment in the 1st degree, Unlawfully Fleeing Police in a Motor Vehicle 3rd degree, Reckless Driving, Speed Not Reasonable and Prudent, Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign, Passed Red Signal (2 counts), Unlicensed Operator, Failure to Comply with the Lawful Order of a Police Officer, Moved From Lane Unsafely, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree and Not Having a Controlled Substance in the Original Container. Lichtman was arraigned in Village Court and remanded to Allegany County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail. In addition, it was found that Lichtman has an active bench warrant from New York City.
The New York State Police and Alfred Police Department also charged Lichtman with numerous vehicle and traffic violations.
