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Dunkirk Man Indicted In Ax Assault Case

A Dunkirk man who allegedly struck another person with an ax during a September incident in the city has been indicted by a Chautauqua County grand jury.

Brian Nowak, 34, pleaded not guilty during arraignment Feb. 11 in Chautauqua County Court. He was indicted Feb. 3 on a single charge, first-degree assault, a class B felony.

Officers with the Dunkirk Police Department were alerted Sept. 12, a Saturday, of people “smashing out windows, going at each other” with an ax and bat on Central Avenue. However, before officers arrived it was learned that Nowak had left the area and that another person — also a Dunkirk resident — had gone to Brooks Memorial Hospital.

According to scanner reports at the time of the incident, the man had been struck in the side of the head with an ax during the encounter. A witness reportedly told police that they saw a person rush inside the nearby hospital.

Nowak remains in the Chautauqua County Jail as of this week. Following his arraignment on the assault charge, bail was set at $25,000 cash, $50,000 property, a court clerk said. A March conference has been set.

In other recent court matters:

¯ A 29-year-old Jamestown man was indicted on two counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Devonte Chandler pleaded not guilty during arraignment Feb. 3 in county court. The city man was stopped in October at Railroad Avenue and Route 62 in Frewsburg by the New York State Police, and was taken into custody following the discovery of a weapon and numerous drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl.

An investigation found that the handgun discovered had been reported stolen from Pennsylvania and that Chandler’s driving privileges in New York had been suspended.

¯ Michael Pollaro, 35, was indicted on charges of third-degree burglary and petit larceny. He pleaded not guilty during arraignment Feb. 16 and was released.

An April 19 conference has been scheduled.

¯ Adam Abriatis, 43, also was indicted on charges of third-degree burglary and petit larceny. He, too, was released following arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty. A conference is set to take place April 19.

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