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Kathy Reakes
Reporter
kreakes@dailyvoice.com
Kathy Reaks has worked as a reporter in the local news business since 1984, starting as a news clerk and working her way up. She spent 17 years at Florida Today in Melbourne, Florida as a general assignment reporter, crime reporter, entertainment reporter and restaurant critic. She worked four years at Hometown News as a general assignment reporter, then another two years at Spacecoast Daily in Cocoa Beach, Florida. She attended Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne, Florida.
Fatal Long Island Drive-By Shooting Case May Have Been Road-Rage Incident, Police Say
A Long Island man who was shot to death while driving home may have been a victim of a road-rage incident.
During a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 16, Nassau County Police Det. Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick said road rage could play into the murder of Justin Gottlieb, 27, of Planview.
The shooting took place around 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 14, after Gottlieb left his place of employment in Jericho around 5 p.m., and drove to his Margaret Drive East home where he was shot multiple times as he got out of his 2002 red Ford Explorer, Fitzpatrick said.
Fitzpatrick said investigators are looking f…
Long Island Hunter Stuck In 'Suction Cup' Mud Rescued By First Responders
A hunter was rescued by emergency responders after he became stuck in muck in a marshy area of Long Island.
The rescue took place in Wading River around 8:30 a.m., Friday, Jan. 17, when Riverhead Police and Fire departments responded to Creek Road, said the Riverhead Police Department.
Once on the scene, they found that the hunter, who had on waders, was stuck in a muddy part of the marsh that was "acting like a suction cup," and prevented him from moving from the area, police said.
Firefighters were able to rescue the man within a short time, police added.
No one was injured during the i…
Man Tried To Shoot, Kill Three Juveniles In Area, Police Say
A 37-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at three juveniles from his vehicle.
Justin Haywood, of Denver, Colorado, was arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 15, after Town of Poughkeepsie Police responded to the area of Innis Avenue near Arnold Road around 3:48 p.m., said Capt. Joseph Cavaliere of the town police department.
The three juveniles were not hit by the bullets, but police did find a stray bullet in an area home, Cavaliere said.
After interviewing witnesses, police sent out a description of Haywood's vehicle and a short time later he was taken into…
Long Island Woman Killed By Falling Plywood
A 67-year-old Long Island woman was killed after a piece of plywood flew off a building under construction and struck her as she was walking by the site.
The incident took place around 9:44 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 16, in the area of 41-28 Main Street in Flushing, Queens, said the New York City Police.
According to police, Xiang Ji, of Westbury, died after the piece of plywood flew off the building, striking her.
Officers found Ji unconscious and EMS transported her to New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Queens where she was pronounced dead, NYPD said.
"Heartbreaking news out of Queens," Mayo…
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