Falls man, woman faces charges after second police pursuit this year
May 15—A Falls man and woman involved in a pair of recent high-profile police incidents were arrested Friday after leading police on a chase through several municipalities.
Friday's incident began when Niagara County Sheriff's Deputy K. Kennedy attempted a traffic stop on Walmore Road in the Town of Wheatfield. The vehicle, driven by Michael Quarcini Jr., 47, of Niagara Falls, refused to stop and drove north toward Lewiston.
Sheriff's deputies and Town of Niagara police gave chase and while heading west on Saunders Settlement Road, Quarcini rear-ended a civilian vehicle but continued on for about 100 yards until the vehicle was unable to drive further.
Quarcini and Heather L. Moody, 32, of Niagara Falls, were taken into custody without incident.
An 87-year-old passenger of the vehicle that was rear-ended was transported to Mount St. Mary's Hospital for the complaint of neck pain.
Quarcini was charged with DWI, third-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, second-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, leaving the scene of an injury accident, second-degree reckless driving and multiple other vehicle and traffic charges.
Quarcini also had an active warrant out of the City of Tonawanda for petit larceny.
Moody was taken into custody on an active warrant also out of the City of Tonawanda for third-degree burglary. Moody was transferred into the custody of the City of Tonawanda Police.
Quarcini was remanded to Niagara County Jail pending arraignment on his charges.
Quarcini and Moody were involved in a similar incident in Niagara County on Jan. 10. During that incident, a vehicle occupied by the pair was pursued by multiple law enforcement agencies through several jurisdictions with Quarcini as the vehicle operator. That pursuit ended on Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls after the suspect vehicle became disabled due to striking a police tire deflation device. Following their apprehension at that time, Quarcini was taken into custody on multiple vehicle and traffic charges and both also had outstanding warrants.
In September, Quarcini and Moody were charged following a shoplifting incident that escalated into violence at a Niagara Falls Boulevard supermarket.
The incident occurred on the 7700 block of Niagara Falls Boulevard, according to the Niagara County Sheriff's Office, after Heather Moody, 31, was caught by store employees trying to walk out with roughly $700 in food. While employees were detaining her, Quarcini, who was with Moody, entered the store and shoved an employee against a wall, injuring them. The pair then fled the store.
A deputy who was patrolling nearby, arrived on the scene as Quarcini and Moody were getting into a vehicle. The deputy ordered them out of the car but the Quarcini ignored his demands and quickly sped off, almost hitting the deputy.
An alert was put out for Western New York agencies to be observant for the vehicle and the two suspects.
The next day, a New York State Trooper located the vehicle parked at a motel on Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Falls. Both were taken into custody and charged.
