Large fight leads to felony charges

ELLENVILLE, N.Y. » An 18-yearold who allegedly tried to run over another person during a large fight on Market Street is facing felony charges, Ellenville police said Thursday.

The driver’s 19-year-old passenger, who allegedly struggled with police and resisted arrest, also was charged with felonies.

Jenah M. Hammel, 18, of 29 Mountain Ave., Ellenville, was charged Wednesday afternoon with felony assault and the misdemeanors of leaving the scene of a personal-injury accident and endangering the welfare of a child.

The passenger in Hammel’s vehicle, Shaquon J. McGinnis, 19, of 39 Canal St., Ellenville, was charged with the felonies of criminal contempt and criminal contempt as an aggravated family offense.

The injured female was taken by the Kerhonkson Accord Rescue Squad to Ellenville Regional Hospital, where she was treated for her injuries, police said. She was not identified, and police did not disclose the extent of her injuries.

Village officers responded about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to a reported fight on Market Street involving some 30 people, police said. When they arrived, officers saw a crowd milling about in the street and one person who appeared to be injured.

The responding officers then called for help from the state police and the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office.

An investigation found Hammel had, according to several witnesses, accelerated down the street onto the sidewalk, striking the female victim, police said. She then allegedly left the scene but returned and tried to run over the victim again, police said — this time apparently backing into a parked car instead and giving the victim a chance to flee.

Police said Hammel surrendered a short time later but McGinnis fled the scene. He was apprehended soon after, police said.

In the course of his arrest, McGinnis struggled with officers and suffered “minor facial lacerations,” police said. He was treated at Ellenville Regional Hospital and released.

As McGinnis was being apprehended, police said, he caused “minimal damage” to a police officer’s personal vehicle.

Hammel and McGinnis were arraigned in Ellenville Village Court, and each was sent to the Ulster County Jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.