Man who fled Schenectady County Court recaptured

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

A man who disappeared from Schenectady County Court during proceedings last week was apprehanded over the weekend, almost getting Tasered in the process.

Deandre Coleman, 21, of Van Vranken Avenue, was arrested on Saturday morning by sheriff’s deputies and city police after a brief foot chase.

Sheriff’s deputies were checking for Coleman at 2178 Avenue B at 8:20 a.m. when they spotted him running out the second-floor back of the residence, sheriff’s Lt. Jason Temple said.

Deputy Joseph Glasser told Coleman to show his hands, warning that if he didn’t, he would be Tasered.

But Coleman ran away and started to climb a fence, according to the police account. That’s when Glasser fired his Taser, hitting Coleman in the back, but Coleman made it over the fence, disconnecting the Taser wires in the process. He fled toward Lenox Road.

The Schenectady and Niskayuna police departments joined the pursuit. He was finally arrested at about 8:45 a.m. when he came out of some woods on Golf Road. Deputy Robert Kennedy and city police Officer Joseph McCabe made the arrest.

Still on Coleman’s back was one of the severed Taser probes.

The use of a Taser by a sheriff’s deputy was the first for the department, Sheriff Gordon Pollard said.

The department has been looking at the devices for four or five months, finally purchasing 10 at a cost of $810 each. One Taser was ordered for each deputy. Deputies completed the six hours of training just last week.

Tasers have been given greater attention in recent weeks after a city police officer shot and killed a knife-wielding man Aug. 1. Some advocates said a Taser could have been used instead.

City police don’t have the devices, but officials have been looking at them for several months. Still, Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said recently that he wasn’t totally comfortable with them because of injuries or deaths attributed to them.

Rotterdam police have had the devices since last year. Amsterdam police got them last month.

Coleman was wanted after he fled Schenectady County Court last week while prosecutors and his attorney conferred over his gun case with Schenectady County Court Judge Karen Drago in her chambers.

He was there for the start of the proceedings for a possible guilty plea in the weapons case, wearing an unmistakable dark purple shirt. But after Drago indicated that she wouldn’t accept the plea agreement, court resumed to find Coleman missing.

Drago indicated in court that there was no excuse for Coleman leaving, other than having to go to the emergency room. She noted that he appeared to be in good health minutes before.

Coleman was checked out by paramedics after his arrest Saturday, and he again appeared to be in good health, Temple said.