Vestal Town Board member facing charges after U-E school fight

A Vestal Town Board member is facing charges after a fight outside of a Union-Endicott elementary school.

Broome County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to George F. Johnson Elementary School on Taft Avenue Tuesday at 6:51 p.m. for a physical dispute near the main entrance.

According to officials, Town of Vestal board member Stephen J. Donnelly, 44, of Vestal and Lance J. Scott, 42, of Kirkwood engaged in a verbal altercation that turned physical in front of the main entrance to the school following a 4th and 5th grade spring concert there.

The sheriff’s office said an investigation involving school surveillance cameras, witness statements and cell phone video revealed Donnelly had followed a woman into the parking lot yelling obscenities and derogatory remarks at her while threatening to “bury her” and that Scott later saw Donnelly yelling at a woman and confronted him.

A verbal altercation ensued, then escalated, resulting in the two men punching each other on the ground.

Donnelly, Scott and the two women involved are well known to each other, the sheriff’s office said, and minor injuries were sustained during the altercation.

On Friday, Donnelly disputed the sheriff’s office’s account of the events.

“The account of what occurred is completely false,” Donnelly said, “and I look forward to the true facts being known in the very near future.”

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Donnelly has been charged with two counts of second-degree harassment and two counts of disorderly conduct. Scott has been charged with disorderly conduct.

Both were issued appearance tickets for the Town of Union Court to answer the charges at a later date.

The Broome County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation is ongoing and they anticipate additional charges.