The Village of Saugerties became an active crime scene on Monday night, when Ulster County 911 and the Saugerties Police Department (SPD) began receiving calls at 9:42 p.m. about a subject shot with a head wound at the intersection of Main and Partition streets.
The subject, identified by police as 35-year-old John P.R. Jones, fled north on Partition as the SPD arrived on the scene and entered a first-floor apartment in a multi-family residence at 23 Lafayette Street. Police established a perimeter and unsuccessfully attempted to contact him.
Residents of 23 Lafayette, home at the time of the incident, were engaged by a law-enforcement drone outside their windows and evacuated during the tense standoff. They were eventually allowed to return home at approximately 2 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1.
According to a police report, after obtaining a Warrant of Arrest for Menacing in the 2nd Degree, members of the Ulster County Emergency Response Team entered the residence, finding Jones suffering from previously sustained facial wounds. While the SPD press release does not specify a time, Jones’ arrest was marked as occurring on April 1. Further investigation found that the reported firearm was a .68-caliber CO2-powered “defense pistol” designed to shoot less-lethal projectiles than a standard pistol.
Jones was transported to HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston by Diaz Ambulance, where he was treated and released back into the custody of the SPD. After being arraigned in Central Arraignment Part (CAP) Court, Jones was released on his own recognizance with a notice to appear at Village of Saugerties Justice Court at a later date. Police said their investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected. He has since been held for psychiatric evaluation.
This was not Jones’ only recent run-in with local law enforcement. On November 5 of last year, he was arrested by the SPD and charged with Aggravated Harassment in the 2nd Degree. Twelve days later he was again arrested by the SPD, this time just after midnight on November 17. He was charged with Stalking in the 4th Degree. In both cases he was released on an appearance ticket and scheduled to appear in Village of Saugerties Justice Court at a later date.
In the incident which spilled from March 31 into April 1, the SPD was assisted by the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Ulster Police, Woodstock Police, Ulster County District Attorney’s Office, Diaz Ambulance, Saugerties Fire Department, Centerville Fire Department, Glasco Fire Department and Kingston Fire Department.
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