Sheriff Allard tells, “the rest of the story,” honoring five members of SCSO
From Steuben County, Pictured L to R: Brown, Saltsman, Logsdon, Butler. Absent – Kennedy
BATH – Steuben County Sheriff officers were commended Monday for their swift and essential action in the apprehension of a reportedly armed and dangerous individual fleeing allegations of murder.
“Now you’ll know the rest of the story,” county Sheriff Jim Allard told the county Legislature’s Public Safety Committee, before chronicling the events occurring June 6 leading to the arrest of Alyssa Venable, wanted for murdering her three roommates in Virginia.
Allard said Steuben County Lt. Brando Logsdon was alerted by New York State Police of a pursuit of the subject initiated in Allegany County approaching Steuben on I-86.
Logsdon then deployed deputies Joseph Saltsman and Matt Butler at strategic locations on I-86 with tire deflation devices, which caused the vehicle to exit the highway and come to a stop, Allard reported.
Logsdon then set up units in a perimeter and contacted Lt. Chris Kennedy for a SWAT response, which included the use of a drone to gather information on the driver of the vehicle, who appeared to be laying on the front seat of the vehicle with nothing in her hands and the sole occupant in the vehicle.
County Inv. Brandon Brown detailed an extraction plan to safely remove the operator, which included approaching the vehicle utilizing a ballistic shield and a distraction device and safely took the operator from the vehicle and into custody, Allard said.
Allard told the committee a pistol was recovered from the interior of the vehicle near the suspect’s position. The suspect was then turned over to the New York State Police as the initiating agency.
Allard commended the men for their professionalism, leadership and service.
“Not only did you display quick and effective evaluation of a dynamic life and death situation, but you also successfully stopped a fleeing person accused of murdering three people, and utilizing your training and tools, took that armed person into custody with no injury to law enforcement and only minor injury to the suspect,” he said.
