Montgomery man traces dirt-bike trail to suspect/NY

[PeteSC]

September 15, 2005

Montgomery man traces dirt-bike trail to suspect

   By Alexa James
   Times Herald-Record
   ajames@th-record.com
   
   Montgomery – It was still dark outside, around 4:30 Tuesday morning, when Bart McDermott, an electrician in New York City, took the trash out before his morning commute.
   As he lugged the cans down the driveway, he scanned his backyard: the above-ground pool, the trampoline, the camping tents and the shed where the kids' keep their off-road bikes. Even in the dark, McDermott saw that the shed doors were open. One of the kids, ages 9 to 14, must have forgotten to lock up.
   But as McDermott approached the shed, he realized something wasn't right. His son's dirt bike and his daughter's four-wheeler were gone, along with their helmets and gloves and his archery equipment. The shed's padlock lay broken in the grass and mud.
   Naomi McDermott dialed 911 while her husband grabbed a flashlight. "Because my daughter doesn't clean her bike," he said, "there was a mud trail."
   McDermott followed the mud trail into the woods. "I wasn't expecting to find anybody," he said, but less than 100 yards in, he heard engines. As the noise grew louder, McDermott crouched in the brush. He saw headlights heading his way, and when the ghost rider arrived, he pounced.
   The dirt bike skidded into the dirt. The flashlight landed in the brush. "I hit him like a football player," McDermott said. "I assumed I was wrestling a man."
   "You didn't steal from me," McDermott yelled at the suspect he had tackled. "You stole from a 12-year-old boy who lives for this bike."
   The stranger stopped struggling and began to apologize, and only then did McDermott realize he was wrestling a boy: a tall, burly teenager, but a kid nonetheless.
   McDermott, 36, felt awful. He told the young man he was going to pin him down until the police arrived, but he wouldn't hurt him. As they waited in the dark, McDermott talked to the boy about straightening his life out, making smarter decisions, hanging with better people. His cohort had taken off, leaving the four-wheeler running nearby.
   The entire exchange played out in less than two minutes. State police, patrolling nearby, arrested Ricky A. Armbruster, 17, of Walden, and later arrested his friend, Patrick J. Navas, 16, also of Walden.
   Charges and arrests have been coming ever since. State police charged both boys with fourth-degree grand larceny and third-degree attempted grand larceny, both felonies, as well as petty larceny, a misdemeanor. They were sent to Orange County Jail, where they were held in lieu of $10,000 cash bail.
   State police also arrested two alleged accomplices in Sullivan County. Jason R. Dinger, 18, was charged with two counts of third-degree burglary and one count of second-degree burglary, both felonies. Michelle A. Maxwell, 22, was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a felony. Dinger was sent to Sullivan County Jail, where he was being held without bail.
   After meeting with state police investigators, Bart McDermott doesn't feel quite so bad about his scuffle with Armbruster. Investigator Michael J. Drake said police have collected more than 30 stolen items: one car, eight ATV's, 11 motorcycles, five bicycles, stereo equipment, jewelry, cash, liquor and more.
   "Most of the stuff was stolen just to joy ride," said Drake, and most of it was taken over the past three weeks. Many items were later dumped in fields and woods.
   As the investigation continues and additional charges roll in, the joy ride is over. Town of Montgomery police are lodging grand larceny, conspiracy and burglary charges against Armbruster and Navas. State police also expect charges to be filed by the Town of Newburgh, the Village of Walden and the Town of Liberty.