Six people, including two village of Spring Valley employees, have been arrested in connection with the fatal fire at the Evergreen Court Home for Adults that killed a volunteer firefighter and a resident last March. Rockland D.A. Tom Walsh did not give many details about each person’s alleged role in the blaze, citing an upcoming grand jury investigation…
The head of Spring Valley’s building and public works department, Wayne Ballard, formerly Clarkstown’s Highway Superintendent, and the village’s chief building inspector, Raymond Canario, have been charged with filing false reports. They were released and are due back in court on appearance tickets July 13th. On Friday’s “Who Wants to be a Volunteer” program, Canario, who is also a Spring Valley Deputy Fire Chief, said he’s been doing his job, but the courts haven’t been doing theirs…
Rockland residents Aaron Sommer and his son, Nathaniel, are both charged with two counts of manslaughter, two counts of assault and arson in the fourth degree. The Sommers were arraigned in Spring Valley Justice Court, sent to Rockland County jail and are due back in court July 2nd. An Evergreen Court spokesperson told Lohud.com they were not employees of Evergreen, but independent contractors hired to kosherize the facility for Passover. Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the investigation is all about justice for volunteer firefighter Jared Lloyd and the fire’s many other victims…
Arrest warrants have been issued for Evergreen’s Executive Director Denise Kerr of New York City and Manuel Lema of Pomona, though his relation to the facility was not clear. They face reckless endangerment, criminal impersonation and obstruction of governmental operations charges.