Syracuse, N.Y. — The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office helicopter had a busy day Sunday helping police find a man with drugs, capturing ATVs driving recklessly and finding a drunk driver.
The drugs
Air1 helicopter was used to help find a man deputies were looking for because of a public lewdness complaint, according to a Facebook post from the sheriff’s office.
Tyrel Rivers, 39, of Syracuse, started running through yards in the area of Coral and Pacific avenues in Syracuse and at one point ditched a duffle bag, deputies said. The helicopter located him on Marvin Road, deputies said.
Inside the duffle bag, police found 43 Oxycodone pills, 21 Suboxone packets, 336 packets of heroin, 16.1 grams of cocaine, “a large quantity of Molly” and 1 digital scale.
Rivers was arrested and charged with public lewdness, third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and second-degree criminally using drug paraphernalia, deputies said.
ATVs driving recklessly
After helping with the lewd man the helicopter crew helped Syracuse Police locate a group of people driving illegal ATVs recklessly in the city, deputies said.
Five ATVs were confiscated from the group, deputies said.
Drunk driver found
At 10:15 p.m. the helicopter responded to an accident on Lamson Road near Old Lamson Road in Lysander, deputies said.
A vehicle crashed into a tree and the driver ran into the woods, witnesses told deputies.
Using infrared cameras the helicopter located the man hiding behind a chicken coop on Fenner Road, deputies said
The man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, deputies said.
Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.