Steuben Sheriff Officers Praised for Their Action in Venables’ Arrest

Sheriff Allard tells “the rest of the story” and honors five members of the SCSO

From Steuben County, pictured left to right: Brown, Saltsman, Logsdon, Butler. Absent – ​​Kennedy

BATH – Steuben County sheriff’s officials were praised Monday for their quick and necessary action in arresting an apparently armed and dangerous person fleeing murder charges.

“Now you know the rest of the story,” County Sheriff Jim Allard told the county legislature’s Public Safety Committee before recounting the events of June 6 that led to the arrest of Alyssa Venable, who was wanted for the murder of her three roommates in Virginia.

Allard said Steuben County Lt. Brando Logsdon was notified by New York State Police of a pursuit of the individual that began in Allegany County toward Steuben on I-86.

Logsdon then deployed Deputies Joseph Saltsman and Matt Butler with tire pressure regulators at strategic locations on I-86, causing the vehicle to leave the highway and come to a stop, Allard reported.

Logsdon then posted units in a perimeter and contacted Lt. Chris Kennedy for a SWAT operation that included the use of a drone to gather information on the driver of the vehicle, who appeared to be the only occupant in the vehicle and had nothing in her hands.

County Inspector Brandon Brown presented a detailed recovery plan to safely recover the driver, which included approaching the vehicle using a ballistic shield and a diversion device, and safely recovering and detaining the driver, Allard said.

Allard told the committee that a handgun was found inside the vehicle near the suspect. The suspect was then turned over to the New York State Police, the initiating agency.

Allard praised the men for their professionalism, leadership and dedication.

“Not only did you demonstrate a quick and effective assessment of a dynamic life-or-death situation, you successfully stopped a fugitive accused of murdering three people. Using your training and tools, you took the armed individual into custody without injury to police officers and with only minor injuries to the suspect,” he said.