Fort Plain plaza owner faces new charges of throwing brick at TV crew

PHOTOGRAPHER: John Enger

The prominent Fort Plain businessman charged with sexual abuse last month is back in jail after allegedly lobbing a brick at a WNYT television crew.

Police said Dennis J. Todd, 62, of 24 Willet St., was at the village police station Friday afternoon picking up some personal items confiscated during his Aug. 18 arrest. About 2:30 p.m. Todd was leaving the station when the film crew approached.

“You really don’t want to become part of a story when you’re covering it, but today we had no choice,” WNYT reporter Dan Bazile said in his report.

“This man came after us when we simply wanted to hear his side of the story.”

Available on the WNYT website is a video showing Todd throwing a brick, which didn’t hit anyone, and chasing an unidentified cameraman.

“Get out of here,” Todd said in the video.

The job description of a typical cameraman most likely does not include dodging bricks, but the running crew member managed to keep Todd in the frame while fleeing up a hill.

“Dan, help,” the cameraman said.

Help came in the form of two plainclothes police officers, who handcuffed Todd over the trunk of a car. He was charged with felony reckless endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree harassment.

Officials at WNYT declined to comment on the incident, as it may involve a lawsuit.

Village police Sgt. Dan Carter said based upon his previous arrests, Todd is being held in Montgomery County Jail without bail.

Todd was already facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual act and assault in connection to his alleged contact with a 13-year-old boy and hitting one of the boy’s adult family members in the head with a blunt object.

Carter could not comment on how the incident will affect the ongoing sexual abuse investigation.

“It’s totally unrelated,” he said, “but it can’t help his case.”

According to the state Department of State corporation and business database, Todd operates the Old Fort Shopping Plaza on River Street, which houses the village’s grocery store, a recently established Save-A-Lot, and a Family Dollar store. He also owns Daylight Donuts, which is new to the village and is also located in the plaza.

Carter said Todd will next appear in court Sept. 17.