Yonkers Man Arrested for DWI in Scarsdale on New Year's Eve

Artan Haluci, 28, of Yonkers, was arrested on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), aggravated DWI with .18 grams or more of alcohol in blood and a speeding violation at 4:15 a.m., Jan. 1. Police saw Huluci’s 2012 Mustang GT speeding south on Post Road at approximately 60 miles per hour. They pulled the car over and noticed Haluci’s breath smelled strongly of alcohol. His clothes were in disarray, and he was slurring his words. Haluci was asked to perform field sobriety tests and was unable to execute these tests successfully. An Alcosensor test and a Datamaster blood alcohol test measured Haluci’s alcohol level of .20. He was then arrested and charged with drunk driving. He was released to his mother on $250 cash bail and given an appearance ticket for Scarsdale Village Justice Court on Jan. 7.

Attempted burglary: A ladder, a screwdriver and a pry bar were left at a Meadow Road house overnight Jan. 3. Apparently, a burglar attempted to get into the house through a locked second-floor balcony, but the burglar was unsuccessful.

Stolen EZ-Pass: A Walbrooke Road man left his personally owned EZ-Pass in a rental car in September. He notified the Avis rental agency about it immediately, but the car had already been rented to another person. The man notified EZ-Pass about the lost tag, but charges continued to accumulate on the man’s account. The man needed an official police report in order for EZ-Pass to refund the charges; so he came to headquarters to file a report on Dec. 30.

Identity theft: On Dec. 29, a Webster Road woman reported fraudulent activity on her HSBC debit card. Two transactions occurred at two store in Brooklyn without the woman’s knowledge or authorization – a $220.78 purchase at a Guess clothing store and a $270.77 purchase at Bath and Bodyworks. A third transaction of $12.40 at a 7-Eleven store was declined. The woman cancelled her credit card, and police advised her to notify her financial institutions and the credit reporting bureaus.

Criminal mischief: The windows of a 1997 Honda CVR parked on River Road were shot out with a pellet gun overnight Jan. 3. The homeowner thought nothing appeared to be missing from the car.

Harassment: On Dec. 29, a Quaker Ridge man reported being threatened by two individuals, from Queens and the Bronx, whom he met on a national chat line and financially helped in the past. One individual called the man and demanded $1,000 on Dec. 28. The individual said he would kill the man and “go after” his neighbors if the man did not give him the money. The man said he never personally met this individual. According to the man, the second individual, with whom the man previously met to have a meal together at Scarsdale Diner, has been making threatening phone calls for a couple months. Police asked why the man did not report the threatening calls sooner, and the man said he thought they would stop if he refused to continue financial assistance. Police advised the man to record any threatening calls in the future, for further investigation.

Help: A man dressed in pajama bottoms and wrapped in a blanket was walking south on Post Road shortly before 6 p.m., Dec. 29. The man told police his name but could not remember where he was going or from where he had come. He said he had memory problems. In conversation, the man mentioned his son was a police officer in White Plains; so dispatch called White Plains police department and notified the man’s son. The son came to headquarters to pick up his father and drive him home.

A Rodney Road man complained that construction vehicles parked outside his neighbor’s construction site were blocking easy access to the man’s house and driveway Dec. 30. Patrol saw no parking violations and explained that parking anywhere on the street is permissible, as the street is village property. Nevertheless, patrol spoke with the contractor and advised him to park work vehicles in front of the construction site to maintain peace.

A Fox Meadow Road man asked police to examine a cracked window in his house Dec. 30. Police did not think the cracks were caused by an attempted burglary or criminal mischief.   

A Fox Meadow family called 911 during a family dispute arising over a 16-year-old boy’s refusal to do his homework. The family members worked it out and were calm before police arrived.  

On Jan. 3, police mediated a dispute involving a divorcing Heathcote couple arguing over a letter addressed to the husband but taken by the wife. The wife returned the letter to the husband before patrol left the couple’s house.

A Cambodian man walked into police headquarters looking for help, but police were challenged due to a language barrier Jan. 4. Eventually, police contacted the man’s daughter in the Bronx. She came to headquarters to pick him up. Bronx police were also informed for follow-up assistance.

Cars and roadways: Patrol used red tape to secure fallen cable wires on Paddington Road Dec. 29.

Police stood by and directed traffic around a car with a flat tire on Hutchinson Avenue until a tow truck arrived Dec. 30.

Police notified the water department about a possible water main break on Tunstall Road Jan. 2.

On Jan. 1, police stood by while a driver waited for AAA to arrive to attend to her stalled car on Post Road.

Three car accidents were reported in the village and on parkways this week.

Animals: On Dec. 29, an East Taunton Road woman reported hearing animal noises in her garage for the two previous nights, and in the mornings she said she finds holes in her garbage bags. She believed a raccoon might be responsible. Police, however, thought a smaller rodent might be the culprit. Police suggested calling an exterminator for further assistance.

A loose Collie was chasing a jogger on Waysider Lane Jan. 2. While the jogger was waiting for police to arrive, a neighbor recognized the dog and returned it to its owner.

Village code violations: On Dec. 31, police advised the driver of a sanitation truck that pickups and deliveries were prohibited before 6:30 a.m. weekdays. It was only 6 a.m., and the driver promised to wait until 6:30 to do his job.

Three men were sitting in a parked car in the rear parking lot of Edgewood School at 11 p.m., Jan. 2. The men said they were there to play basketball. Police told them it was too late to be on school grounds, and the men left.

Lost: The manager of a gas station on Scarsdale Avenue reported losing a book of NYS inspection stickers while performing an inventory of the gas station’s contents Dec. 29.   

A Butler Road woman reported losing a diamond and platinum tennis bracelet somewhere in the village during the month of December. She reported the loss to police Jan. 2.

On Jan. 3, a Madison Road resident reported her driver’s license was stolen in Barcelona while studying abroad.

Civil matter: A Fenimore Road resident reported unauthorized charges from a local acupuncturist’s office on her American Express card Jan. 2. The office said the charges were for a “medical records service.” The woman said her husband visited the acupuncturist for two appointments, but he did not sign up for the records service. Patrol advised the woman her dispute was a civil matter. She was advised to contact the Better Business Bureau and monitor her credit card accounts.

Arrest on warrant: Findlay D. Griffin, 43, of South Salem, was arrested on the strength of an active arrest warrant issued out of Scarsdale Village Justice Court for failing to appear on previous vehicle and traffic charges on Nov. 7, 2014. Griffin was first taken into custody by Westchester County police, who stopped Griffin for a vehicle and traffic offense on the Bronx River Parkway in Yonkers. Officers brought Griffen to police headquarters in Scarsdale, where Griffin was arrested. He was released on $100 cash bail. He is due back in court on Jan. 7.  

Fires: Firefighters extinguished a brush fire in a Greenacres Ave. backyard at 4 p.m., Jan. 1. The fire was confined to a wood fence, cut tree branches, leaves and a firewood pile. Firefighters put out the fire and overhauled the area. The cause was unknown.

Newspapers put out for recycling caught fire on Brite Avenue around 2:30 a.m., Jan. 2. Firefighters extinguished the fire and confirmed it did not cause any damage to nearby property. The cause was unknown.

A Brewster Road homeowner removed a burning pizza box from the oven and placed it on an outdoor air conditioning unit Jan. 2. The box fell from the unit into a window well and ignited leaves. The fire burned the outside of the structure. Firefighters put out the fire and used hand tools to make sure the fire did not extend into the structure.

Firefighters: Firefighters discovered a gas leak near a barbecue grill’s gas service line on the deck of a Crawford Lane house Dec. 30. Firefighters shut the gas supply and notified Con Edison.

On Jan. 1, firefighters helped Scarsdale Volunteer Ambulance Corps members get into a village house after the resident’s medical alert device transmitted a distress signal. The resident required emergency medical service, which SVAC was able to provide.

Firefighters informed Con Edison about a slight natural gas odor on Dolma Road Jan. 2.

On Jan. 3, a fireplace left burning for four hours without an adequate air source in a Burgess Road house caused elevated levels of carbon monoxide. Firefighters increased ventilation in the house and advised the homeowner about the proper use of a fireplace.

A car running in a Sage Terrace house caused elevated carbon monoxide levels Jan. 4.

Firefighters stood by for Con Edison at the site of a possible natural gas leak on Dolma Road Jan. 4.

Firefighters helped remove a fallen tree blocking portions of Post Road Jan. 4.

This week, firefighters assisted at three car accidents in the village and on parkways. They responded to 10 false fire alarms caused by device malfunction, cooking smoke, a clothes dryer, leaking water and wafting smoke from a neighboring jurisdiction.

This report covering police and fire department activity from Dec. 29, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015 was compiled from official information. This police report is sponsored by Scarsdale Security who does more than just security. Contact them about remote video for your home or business. Call 914-722-2200 or visit their