NEW YORK — State Police at Fonda were dispatched to Oppenheim for a property dispute that turned physical.
Michael DeSousa and his wife Lynda Debell were fencing property that they had recently had surveyed. Neighbors Eva and Scott Sanford confronted them arguing about the property lines and requested the fence be taken down. Police say Eva then started damaging the fence posts and Michael DeSousa approached her and struck her with one of the metal fence posts causing a laceration to the top of her head. She was taken to Nathan Littaur Hospital and received staples to close the head wound.
Upon learning of the assault, family friend Lawrence Dominiczak proceeded to the DeSousa property and pushed DeSousa to the ground and punched him repeatedly causing loss of consciousness. Desousa was taken by ambulance to Little Falls Hospital and later transferred to Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital in Cooperstown with a fractured orbital bone and possible internal head injury.
Dominiczak, 47, of Oppenheim, was charged with Assault 2nd. He was arraigned in the town of Oppenheim court and committed to the Fulton County Jail in lieu of $1000 cash bail. He’s due back in court on August 8th at 5:00pm.
On 7/22 Eva Sanford, 28, of Oppenheim, was charged with Criminal Mischief 4th for damaging the fence posts. She was issued an appearance ticket returnable in the town of Oppenheim Court on August 8th.
Investigation continues with possible charges against DeSousa pending his release from Bassett Hospital.
