Niagara Falls man arraigned on assault and weapons charges

Jun. 11—A Falls man has pleaded not guilty to a long list of charges stemming from an encounter with Falls Police Narcotics & Intelligence Division detectives on May 20.

Donald Rodgers, 28, entered his plea, during an arraignment in Falls City Court on Thursday to counts of second-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, fourth-degree criminal mischief and 12 vehicle and traffic citations

NID detectives encountered Rodgers in a car with two passengers in the 2200 block of Whitney Avenue on May 20 and watched as the vehicle pulled to a stop. Believing that there may have been guns and drugs in the vehicle, detectives approached it.

When Rodgers saw the detectives, he and the passengers began to roll up the windows of the vehicle, trapping one investigator's hands in the car. Rodgers then began to drive away, with the detective running along with the car until he was able to free himself.

The detective was not seriously injured.

Rodgers' car was located later, unoccupied, behind a home on Greenview Terrace in the Center Court neighborhood.

On Wednesday night, around 7:30 p.m., NID detectives and members of the U.S. Marshals Felony Fugitive Task Force found Rodgers in another car in the 600 block of Elmwood Avenue. They were able to surround the vehicle and take Rodgers into custody.

Inside the car, detectives recovered a loaded .45-caliber Taurus handgun, six grams of suspected cocaine, 20 Hydrocodone pills and more than $1,300 cash.

In addition to the charges from the May 20 incident, Rodgers was also charged with second and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Investigators said drug possession charges are pending.

Rodgers pleaded not guilty to the weapons charges as well on Thursday and he was jailed on a detainer filed by New York State Parole officers.