Sloppy parking leads to man’s arrest

PHOTOGRAPHER: Steven Cook

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A Richmondville man’s poor parking job this week helped get him arrested, state police said.

Matthew Bergeron, 23, was arrested Thursday afternoon at the Pilot Truck Stop in Rotterdam on probation violation warrants after a state police investigator spotted him and recognized him as a wanted man, police said.

What caught the investigator’s attention, police said, was his parking skills, or lack thereof.

The investigator noticed as a vehicle backed up and parked straddling two spaces. He then noticed the driver and recognized him as someone previously arrested and now wanted. The investigator also knew Bergeron was a person of interest in a burglary investigation, police said.

When Bergeron went to walk away from the vehicle, the investigator approached and arrested him without incident.

On top of all that, the investigator soon found out Bergeron not only couldn’t park straight, he couldn’t even legally try to, for he didn’t have a driver’s license. So Bergeron was charged with second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation.

His parole violation warrants were related to previous convictions in Schoharie County for fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance and criminal possession of a hypodermic needle, police said.

Bergeron is being held to await an appearance in Schoharie County Court.

State police are asking anyone with information about Bergeron and his activities to contact them at 630-1712.