Published: October 31, 2009 12:38 am      

POLICE REPORTS

Niagara Falls Ont.

Pedestrian dies after being struck by van

Niagara Regional Police said a Niagara Falls man was killed after he was hit by a van while crossing Lundy’s Lane.

The accident happened at approximately 11:31 p.m. Wednesday. A 70 year-old Dunnville, Ontario, man was operating a 2003 Dodge Caravan eastbound on Lundy’s Lane when he struck a 68 year-old Falls man as he was walking northbound across Lundy’s Lane, at the intersection of Carlton Avenue.

The collision occurred in the center eastbound lane and resulted in the pedestrian being thrown into the windshield of the van before falling to the pavement of the road.

The pedestrian was taken to Niagara Health Systems - Greater Niagara General Site, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The driver and his 69 year-old female passenger were uninjured.

Police said the crash remains under investigation.



Customs agents thwart drug smuggling attempt

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents said they seized over 10,000 tablets of the popular “rave” drug Ecstasy at the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge on Wednesday.

The seizure resulted in the arrest of Claudette Benjamin, 47, of Brampton, Ontario.

CBP officers said Benjamin was looking to cross the bridge into the states and said she was going to visit friends in Connecticut. After additional questioning, agents became suspicious and she was referred for a secondary enforcement inspection.

During that inspection, CBP Officers noticed that Benjamin’s coat was unusually bulky. A search of her jacket revealed the illegal tablets, sewn into the inner lining of the jacket.

A total of 11 vacuum sealed bags of ecstasy were recovered.

Niagara Falls

• BURGLARY: Police are looking for a juvenile suspect in connection with a burglary in the 2000 block of Seneca avenue. A 41-year-old woman told officers she came home at 1:40 p.m. Friday and found the suspect in her living room. The suspect then ran from the house. Police said it appeared he entered the home by kicking in a basement window. The victim said nothing was taken.

• BURGLARY: Officers are looking into a break-in at a hotel in the 400 block of Buffalo Avenue. The building engineer told police sometime between 5 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. Friday, someone entered the hotel by prying open a door. The engineer said a small amount of copper pipe was taken from the building.

• ARREST: A Lockport man was arrested on traffic charges after police determined he was driving a stolen car. Christopher M. Williams, 40, 122 Chestnut St., was charged with failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to stop at a red light. Officers said they saw Williams run a stop sign at Aaron Griffith and Center Avenue at 5:17 a.m. Friday. They said he then failed to stop at a red light at Highland and Center avenues. Police said when they stopped Williams in the 1000 block of Fairfield Avenue, they were advised that the car he was driving had just been stolen in Lockport. Williams was taken into custody and turned over to Lockport Police.