Police, Fire & Courts

Outdoor fires currently banned in Tri-Town

Outdoor fires are currently banned in the Tri-Town due to a high risk of brush or wildland fires. Marion, Mattapoisett and Rochester have all issued warnings about the current risk. The entire state of Massachusetts is currently under a red flag...

Police Chief named to Heroes in Transition board of directors

ROCHESTER — Rochester Police Chief Michael Assad was recently appointed to the board of directors of Heroes in Transition. Heroes in Transition is a nonprofit based in Mashpee that provides support to veterans and service members. Also joining the...
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Two sworn in to Rochester Police Department

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Police Department grew by two members on Monday, Oct. 7 as a pair of “really great candidates” were sworn in as full-time officers. The Rochester Select Board unanimously voted to appoint Zach Dupre and Jack Domagala after...

One hospitalized after car crashes into pizza restaurant sign

MATTAPOISETT — One person was hospitalized Monday, Oct. 7 after a collision between two vehicles caused one of the cars to crash into the signage of a Route 6 restaurant. Shortly before 4 p.m., Mattapoisett police and firefighters responded to the...

Former Old Colony teacher indicted, arraigned on rape charge

BROCKTON — A former high school teacher in Rochester accused of raping a student has been indicted and arraigned in superior court. Andre Arsenault, 36, was charged with rape, assault to rape and nine counts of indecent assault and battery on a...

No people, animals injured in storage building fire

MARION — The cause of a Friday, Sept. 20 fire that started at a storage building at Great Hill Farm is still under investigation, according to Marion Fire Chief Brian Jackvony. The 8,000-square foot structure used for storage suffered a partial...

Hit-and-run driver under the influence arrested in Marion

MARION — A Rochester woman was arrested in Marion after driving under the influence and fleeing the scene of two crashes on the morning of Friday, Sept 20, according to the Marion Police Department. Allyson Lagasse, 45, was charged with operating...

Blaze engulfs barn at Marion dairy farm

MARION — A fire engulfed a storage building at a Marion dairy farm Friday night. Marion firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire in a structure at Delano Road on Sept. 20, according to the Marion Fire Department. The involved building was an 8,000...

Rochester town administrator meets, greets at welcoming party

ROCHESTER — On Friday, Sept. 6, Cameron Durant finished up his last day as the human resources director of Fairhaven. By the evening of Thursday, Sept. 12, he had already “hit the ground running as Rochester’s new town administrator according to...

Rochester ceremony remembers 9/11

ROCHESTER — Members of the Rochester police and fire departments came together on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 11 to remember those who lost their lives in the 9/11 terrorist attacks 23 years ago. Traffic slowed to a halt as Rochester first...

Mattapoisett woman charged with murder in New Bedford homicide

NEW BEDFORD — A Mattapoisett woman previously charged in the Tuesday, Aug. 20 homicide of a New Bedford man has now been charged with murder. Nina Busnengo, 31, is alleged to have kicked and stomped the head of 58-year-old Stephen Oswald, who died...

Crash on Route 6 in Mattapoisett leaves one injured

MATTAPOISETT — A two-car crash on Route 6 in Mattapoisett left one driver injured and temporarily redirected traffic on the morning of Friday, Aug. 30. A Honda minivan and a Chevrolet sedan collided by the Gulf gas station on Route 6 shortly after...

Updated: Mattapoisett woman allegedly kicked, stomped New Bedford man in homicide

NEW BEDFORD — A Mattapoisett woman has been arrested after allegedly stomping on the head of a man who later died near a New Bedford supermarket early Tuesday morning. Nina Busnengo, 31, was charged with assault and battery by means of a dangerous...

Assad sworn in as Rochester Police Chief

ROCHESTER — Michael Assad Jr. raised his right hand in the air and confirmed he will do his best to lead the Rochester police force. His wife, Karen, then placed the chief’s badge on his chest. Rochester swore in Assad as the town’s next police...

Student officer appointed to Marion police

MARION — A new officer will eventually be joining the Marion Police Department, after a few months of police academy training. The Marion Select Board unanimously appointed Alexandra Glew as a student officer to the department Tuesday, Aug. 20. A...

One hospitalized after car collides with Mattapoisett utility pole

MATTAPOISETT – A car crashed into a utility pole on Brandt Island Road in Mattapoisett, sending at least one person to the hospital on Wednesday, Aug. 7. Police blocked off one lane of the road as first responders cleaned up the scene. According to...

Two arrested on drug related charges in Marion

MARION — The Marion Police Department arrested two people on Tuesday, July 23 for drug charges, according to the department. Spencer Mello, 34, and Jaimee Morris, 35, were taken into custody after officers searched the Marion home on Point Road...

Prosecutors interview witnesses, victims in case of former teacher accused of rape

WAREHAM — A former Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School teacher accused of raping a student has received another date to return to court. Andre Arsenault, 35, appeared Thursday in Wareham District Court on charges of rape and...

Marion launches ‘enhanced traffic enforcement effort’

MARION — Marion is asking drivers in town to slow down and pay attention. The Marion Police Department launched enhanced traffic enforcement in an effort to “counter the recent rise in speeding and reckless driving throughout town,” according to a...

‘Very good candidate’ to lead Rochester Police Department

ROCHESTER — A Mashpee detective sergeant with 23 years of law enforcement experience will become the new head of the Rochester Police Department, after a round of interviews held Monday, July 22. Following interviews with three finalists, the...

No injuries after garbage truck catches fire in Marion

MARION — A mechanical failure started a fire in a garbage truck on Front Street that left the sole occupant uninjured and closed the road for over an hour Thursday, July 18. Firefighters responded to the blaze at about 1 p.m., according to Brian...

Garbage truck catches fire in Marion

MARION — Numerous intersections on Front Street in Marion were backed up with traffic on the afternoon of Thursday, July 18 as firefighters put out a fire that started on a garbage truck. The fire caused a portion of Front Street to be closed in...

Marion Police Department re-accredited by state commission

MARION — The Marion Police Department announced Tuesday, July 2 it had been re-accredited by the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission. The department earned unanimous re-accreditation Wednesday, June 26, according to a press release from...

Tree branch knocks out power for hundreds

MATTAPOISETT – A fallen tree branch knocked down a power line near the Knights of Columbus on Route 6, taking out power for hundreds of Mattapoisett residents on Monday, July 1. According to Ross Macedo of the Mattapoisett Fire Department, the...

Two officers join Marion Police Department staff

MARION — New faces will be seen patrolling the town of Marion in the near future as the Select Board approved the appointments of two new officers on Tuesday, June 18. Kayla Sylvia will be taking on a full-time role and James MacDonald was appointed...

Updated: Statewide 911 service restored in Tri-Town

The Massachusetts 911 system has been restored, according to state police. The 911 system across Massachusetts experienced outages Tuesday, June 18. According to the Marion Police Department, 911 service in Marion was not working...

Two officers appointed to Rochester Police Department

ROCHESTER — The Rochester Police Department received an upgrade in staffing on Monday, June 17 as two officers were appointed to new roles. Scott Smith was appointed to a full-time position and Rick Bartley was appointed to a part-time role. Interim...

Driver sent to hospital, vehicle catches fire after Rochester crash

ROCHESTER — A driver was sent to the hospital and their vehicle caught fire after a crash June 12 in Rochester. The single-vehicle crash occurred on Marys Pond Road, according to the Rochester Fire Department. First responders to the crash found the...