TOWN OF HIGHLAND – Sullivan County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man who had threatened to torture and murder his ex-girlfriend.
The man, later identified as Joseph Bell, 47, of 22 Barryville-Yulan Road in the Town of Highland, was allegedly making the threats from his home in Barryville while the woman was actually at the New Jersey State Police barracks in Sussex at the time.
At one point the suspect even threatened the New Jersey state trooper who was taking a statement from the victim.
The next day the troopers in Sussex NJ obtained a warrant for Bell at his Town of Highland home.
Armed with the warrant, sheriff’s deputies went to his home, but he refused to come out. Neighbors advised that the suspect appeared intoxicated, unstable and could become combative.
The deputies were concerned because the suspect had previously been charged in other incidents with assault and resisting arrest. At this point the deputies deployed a drone which was equipped with a loudspeaker.
“The drone was flown up to the suspect’s open bedroom window on the second floor”, said Undersheriff Eric Chaboty. “Once the drone was in position, the drone operator spoke over the loudspeaker and announced that there was a warrant for the suspect and that he should come out with his hands up. It worked!”, said Chaboty. The suspect surrendered and was taken into custody peacefully.
Chaboty said that the Sheriff’s Drone Unit is an example of how modern technology can help keep law enforcement officers safe and avoid violent confrontations.
The suspect was arraigned before Town of Thompson Judge Richard Baum and sent to the Sullivan County Jail pending extradition to the state of New Jersey as a fugitive from justice.
Sheriff’s deputies were assisted at the scene by New York state troopers.
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